Drug Impaired Driving is on the rise in the Region

September 21, 2019, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Kitchener Today reported this week that There is an alarming increase in the number of suspected drug impaired arrests in Waterloo Region. Incidents are up from 27 last year to 74 so far this year. Impaired driving is a huge safety concern whether that is drug or alcohol impaired. Police are continuing to crack down on impaired driving in order to keep the roads safe.

Police ask that if you are planning to go out and use drugs or alcohol to also plan a way to get home safely. If you find yourself out and drinking or using drugs, please don’t drive.

The penalties for a conviction of impaired driving are substantial and may limit your ability to find insurance, drive, work, or travel in the future.

According to government statistics impaired driving is the leading criminal cause of death and injury in Canada. In 2017 there were over 69,000 impaired driving incidents reported by police in Canada. This included about 3,500 drug-impaired driving cases.

The Criminal Code of Canada defines the prohibited levels of blood alcohol (BAC) as 80 ml or more per 100 ml of blood, or 0.08 . It defines the prohibited levels of THC at two levels. The less serious level is between 2 nanograms and 5 ng of THC per ml of blood. The second and more serious offence is having more than 5 ng of THC per ml of blood.  If both alcohol and THC are present, then having a BAC of 0.05 per 100 ml and a THC level of more than 2.5 ng is an offence.

Along with penalties from the Criminal Code you may face provincial penalties as well upon conviction. These include mandatory driver education, and ignition interlock. Your car insurance rates will sky rocket as well.

From The Criminal Code:

Penalties

Impaired driving is a serious crime that poses a significant threat to public safety. Having the prohibited level of alcohol, THC, or other impairing drugs in your blood within two hours of driving is an offence.

Penalties for committing this conduct can vary, depending on the alcohol or drug concentration, whether it is your first or a repeated offence, and whether you have caused bodily harm or death to another person.

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

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