Impaired driving convictions spark B.C. lawsuits

[sboersma92]

drinking and driving is nothing to joke about, I have suffered the consequences of my actions and fortunately I have learned the consequences I will never drink and drive again but the fact that I am penalised harsher than someone whom attempted to molest a minor (aquited of all charges due to a delay in the case) is completely ridiculous! something has to change with this society and how we prioritise things

[zzontar]

It was stated that the 40 less deaths was a skewed figure, here's something else to ponder:

www2.macleans.ca/2009/03/26/bc-traffic-deaths-fall-by-a-quarter/

B.C. traffic deaths fall by a quarter

The RCMP took the credit, but the price of gas is the likely reason
by Nancy Macdonald on Thursday, March 26, 2009 8:20am - 1 Comment

B.C. traffic deaths fall by a quarterB.C. is reporting a stunning 26 per cent drop in traffic fatalities this year over last, according to the Ministry of Public Safety. The RCMP was quick to take the credit, attributing the “unbelievable” plunge to “strategic enforcement,” which included crackdowns on street racing, seat belt non-compliance and impaired driving. But since none of these strategies is new to 2008, the RCMP’s claim is a bit hard to swallow. The more likely cause for the drop in fatalities is twofold: record-high gas prices, and the dramatic downturn of the B.C. economy in the second half of the year.


No other provinces have yet reported their 2008 statistics. But the Ottawa-based Traffic Injury Research Foundation reports that 25 U.S. states are also showing double-digit decreases in traffic fatalities. Indeed, the decline in B.C.—which, in an Angus Reid poll, led the country in turning to bikes and public transit when gas prices rose—is larger than in any U.S. jurisdiction. The largest decline in the U.S. was in Virginia, which reported a drop in fatalities of 20 per cent.

“Enforcement sounds good if you’re in law enforcement,” but the price of gas is simply a “much more important factor,” says Harvard Medical School’s David Grabowski, who co-authored a series of studies that show substantial decreases in traffic fatalities whenever gas prices go up. He found that the price of gas is such a strong factor, it completely overwhelms the effect of mandatory seat-belt laws, lower blood-alcohol limits, graduated licences for youth, and toughened speed-limit laws.

Other studies have shown that a shrinking economy tends to reduce driving too, particularly recreational trips. The one thing everyone agrees on is that with everything from stocks to employment levels sinking, it’s nice to come across one number that everyone is happy to see plummet.

www2.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/news/story.html?id=1320484

B.C. traffic fatalities drop to a six-year low
Chad Skelton, Vancouver Sun
Published: Monday, February 23, 2009

A steep drop in traffic fatalities in B.C. over the past few years is due in large part to a simple change in police strategy: Write fewer tickets for speeding and more for not wearing a seatbelt.

Since 2002, the number of people killed each year in traffic accidents in B.C. has dropped by roughly 25 per cent, from more than 450 a year to around 350.

B.C.'s decline occurred even though there was no real reduction in the overall number of crashes and is in sharp contrast to Alberta, where traffic deaths have stayed steady.


Part of the reason for the drop was the addition of 110 traffic enforcement officers in 2004.

But Supt. Norm Gaumont, head of traffic services for the RCMP, said the real turning point came in 2003, when the force began looking more closely at what was behind traffic deaths.

"Previously, road safety was about writing a lot of speeding tickets," said Gaumont.

And while speed is a factor in many crashes, Gaumont said it became clear the real culprit in many traffic deaths was people not wearing their seatbelts.

As a result, officers were instructed to spend less time writing speeding tickets and do more road-checks for seatbelts.

Before the change, Gaumont said, RCMP officers in B.C. would typically write about 40,000 tickets a year for seatbelt violations.

That jumped to roughly 90,000 a few years ago and now stands at about 70,000 a year.

The enforcement is changing people's behaviour, Gaumont said, particularly in rural areas.

Over the past few years, B.C. has gone from having one of the worst seatbelt rates in Canada to second best (after Prince Edward Island).

The change has been most significant in rural areas, such as the north and the Interior, where rates have gone from about 60 or 70 per cent to 90 per cent in just a few years, Gaumont said.

During that same period, the number of speeding tickets written by RCMP officers dropped by roughly 20 per cent.

Gaumont said RCMP officers still write plenty of speeding tickets, but focus their enforcement on areas where they know speeding causes lots of crashes.

Gaumont said the RCMP has also beefed up enforcement of impaired driving because drunk drivers are far more likely to get into head-on collisions, which are particularly deadly.

In urban areas, the force pays more attention to bad driving in intersections, such as people running red lights.

[email protected]

If the new drinking driving laws saved one person then fine, say one person. To blow it out of proportion so it sounds good for the media is counter-productive if it's found that the true numbers are much lower. If there were no drunk drivers on the road, people would hardly notice the drop in collisions and deaths because again the main cause doesn't seem to be a concern.

Being sober doesn't do much if you're a crappy driver, being a good driver doesn't help much if you're impaired. Focusing on both would be a good thing.

[zzontar]

Does anyone find it odd that BC is trying to take such a strong stand against drinking and driving, then they decide it's okay to sell booze at the movies?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybre ... 27924.html

[Captain Awesome]

Nope.

[zzontar]

Nope.

Try not going into so much detail.

[jerome2877]

It doesn't surprise me at all with this government! They were making hand over fist fulls of money with the fail IRP scheme, they needed to figure out a way to recoupe their cash cow by 1. Selling more booze and taxing it and 2. have more people on the road within the .05 to .08 warn range. Win win for the government. Police will be stalking theatres now!

[Captain Awesome]

Try not going into so much detail.

Well, selling alcohol - no matter where it happens - doesn't go against their fight against drinking and driving. Because if it did, they'd have to close every single liquor store, pub, restaurant, lounge, and bar. So no, I don't find it odd.

[zzontar]

Well, selling alcohol - no matter where it happens - doesn't go against their fight against drinking and driving. Because if it did, they'd have to close every single liquor store, pub, restaurant, lounge, and bar. So no, I don't find it odd.

Considering many of the people who drink and drive are doing so because they go out to a pub, restaurant, lounge, or bar. adding another place to drink that most people will have to drive to and from doesn't seem like an idea that will lessen drinking and driving, but that's just me.

[Captain Awesome]

... but that's just me.

Yup. That's just you.

[OnTheRoadAgain]

It doesn't surprise me at all with this government! They were making hand over fist fulls of money with the fail IRP scheme, they needed to figure out a way to recoupe their cash cow by 1. Selling more booze and taxing it and 2. have more people on the road within the .05 to .08 warn range. Win win for the government. Police will be stalking theatres now!

Don't forget video lotteries, another government income.
Can people not even go to a movie without booze these days?
Of course if it's there, they will buy it.

[process99]

You know I was just sitting here reading all the horror and nastys associatied with drink drive. It occured to me that 30 years ago I decided that I liked my licence MORE than any drink made. So in reality there is no trouble making this decision. I just don't drink anything ever.
The choice is easy, I have not met ONE single member EVER who has not believed me when asked if I had anything to drink this evening , one easy answer I DO NOT DRINK EVER. Not once have I been asked to use a RSD or been detained or searched in any road checks.
So for the most part the truth really does work.
For those who just can't seem to figure it out, just look at the facts , whats more important your licence or the beer?
If you just say NO find your buzz elsewhere you would never have to face any convictions like a DD charge or worse.
This is sooo simple just don't, It doesn't make you look cool nor does it make you a better driver.
Nevermind all the tax you pay when you buy it then get caught using while driving , the number is obscene and very easy to NOT have happen.
I don't understand why people just haven't figured out the blindly obvious yet.

P99

[jerome2877]

by process99 » Yesterday, 9:54 pm

You know I was just sitting here reading all the horror and nastys associatied with drink drive. It occured to me that 30 years ago I decided that I liked my licence MORE than any drink made. So in reality there is no trouble making this decision. I just don't drink anything ever.
The choice is easy, I have not met ONE single member EVER who has not believed me when asked if I had anything to drink this evening , one easy answer I DO NOT DRINK EVER. Not once have I been asked to use a RSD or been detained or searched in any road checks.
So for the most part the truth really does work.
For those who just can't seem to figure it out, just look at the facts , whats more important your licence or the beer?
If you just say NO find your buzz elsewhere you would never have to face any convictions like a DD charge or worse.
This is sooo simple just don't, It doesn't make you look cool nor does it make you a better driver.
Nevermind all the tax you pay when you buy it then get caught using while driving , the number is obscene and very easy to NOT have happen.
I don't understand why people just haven't figured out the blindly obvious yet.

P99

Well if MADD lobbiests have their way you will be blowing into an ASD in the future. They are trying to have it leagalized for police to have spot checks where everyone is required to blow into an ASD. This is already the case in Australia where they do this after large events like concerts or sports games.

Thats fine that you don't drink but guess what? We are legally allowed to drive with alcohol in our system. The argument being made is about the law that striped the rights of the people of BC to be innocent until proven guilty and to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.

[jerome2877]

by Captain Awesome » Yesterday, 8:44 pm
Yup. That's just you.

Nope I agree with him! Its a conflict of interest that the government doesn't see because it lines their pockets.

[jerome2877]

The appeal is on the way and all people still fighting this law are being granted further stays of prohibitions pending the outcome of the appeal! Its not over yet Mrs Bond!

[diggerdick]

B.C. reviewing drunk driving penalties of 1,200 motorists VICTORIA -- Strong legal challenges from motorists forced to pay thousands of dollars in costs as part of the government's get-tough impaired driving laws have prompted a review that could put the brakes on penalties worth more than $2,600 for some drivers, says British Columbia's deputy superintendent of motor vehicles.

"What's happened is we've had some petitions lately with some strong legal arguments," said Stephanie Melvin. "We've taken another look at what we're trying to do."

Melvin said the government is reviewing penalties for 1,200 motorists who were handed immediate roadside prohibitions during a three-week period in November 2011 just before the B.C. Supreme Court struck down part of the impaired driving law. http://bc.ctvnews.ca/b-c-reviewing-drun ... z2ICMouj2U