Ontario’s tough new impaired driving laws take effect Friday. As of May 1, a driver caught with a blood alcohol level between 0.05 to 0.08 — the so-called warning range — will have their licence suspended for three days.
If caught with a similar level of booze in their system a second time, their licence will be suspended for seven days and the driver will have to attend an alcohol education program.
If caught a third time, the driver’s licence will be suspended for 30 days, and the motorist will have to complete a remedial alcohol treatment program.
Drivers caught a third time will also have an ignition interlock condition placed on their licence for six months. That means the suspended motorists cannot drive any vehicle that does not have an ignition interlock device installed.
The roadside licence suspensions cannot be appealed and will be recorded on the driver’s record.
The suspensions will be considered when determining consequences for subsequent infractions for up to five years.
