Drunk Driving Charges and Fatalities Soar in Ontario

January 26, 2017, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Two recent news articles caught my attention, and it was for all the wrong reasons. It appears that we are in the midst of a surge of drinking and driving deaths, accidents, and charges throughout the province. Police forces, and the OPP have all issued statements condemning the practice and we have to wonder why there is such a surge.

In Sudbury for example, the Greater Sudbury Police issued a news bulletin indicated that impaired driving chares had increased four-fold in December 2016 over December 2015. 23 people were charged in Sudbury in December alone for alcohol and drug impaired driving. Several fatalities occurred due to impaired driving, and countless lives were destroyed.

The GTA was not immune to the increase of impaired drivers. York Regional Police released a statement indicating that 2016 was one of the worst years ever for impaired driving deaths. A total of 9 people died at the hands of impaired drivers and a stunning 1265 impaired driving charges were laid. Police say the number of impaired drivers being charged has been steadily increasing.

Interesting facts released by York Regional Police::

• 85% of those charged were men
• Almost half of the men were 26-45 years old – presumably old enough to have grown up with impaired driving as a taboo, and to know better
• Half the women arrested were also 26-45 years old
• 81 charges were for drug impaired driving
• Increasingly people are being caught after drinking heavily at home rather than at bars

Police noted that these arrests follow consistent media campaigns targeting young drivers and adults. The campaigns focussed mainly on social media with a #imTHATPerson hashtag. This campaign was focussed on encouraging the public to call 911 and report any one they suspect of impaired driving. The police rely heavily on public tips to catch impaired drivers. RIDE stops are infrequent and rely on chance to catch drunks behind the wheel.

"These incredibly disappointing numbers must serve as a wake-up call that something has to change," said York Regional Police Chief Eric Jolliffe.  "It's alarming that prior to the pending legalization of marijuana we are seeing this spike of drivers impaired by drugs. In light of the continued warnings about the dangers of impaired driving from police services across Canada, it's shocking that anyone feels they have the right to risk the lives of innocent people by drinking alcohol or using drugs and getting behind the wheel of a vehicle." http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/york-impaired-driving-1.3922192

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.