|
|
|
|
| TODAY'S NEWS | SEARCH THE NEWSROOM | NEWS BY MINISTRY |
McGuinty Government Reminds Drivers To Plan For A Safe Ride Home
TORONTO, Dec. 30 /CNW/ -
NEWS
To help Ontarians have a safe and memorable New Year's Eve, all drivers
are reminded to plan ahead for a safe ride home and never get behind the wheel
if you have been drinking.
Ontario's drinking and driving laws are among the toughest in North
America. Drivers caught with a blood alcohol concentration over 0.08 face a
number of tough penalties such as an immediate 90-day driver's licence
suspension, ignition interlock
(http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/impaired/interlock/) and the
completion of alcohol education and treatment programs
(http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/impaired/breaklaw/education).
These laws are about to get tougher. On May 1, 2009, drivers with a blood
alcohol concentration of 0.05 to 0.08 (the "warn" range) will have their
licence suspended for three days for the first instance, seven days for the
next, and 30 days for the third and subsequent instance. The current penalty
for driving in the "warn" range is a 12-hour driver's licence suspension.
QUOTES
"Enjoy the holidays, but have a plan to get yourself and your loved ones
home safely. Take public transit, stay overnight, find a designated driver, or
better yet, be one," said Transportation Minister Jim Bradley
(http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/about/minister.shtml).
"MADD Canada encourages everyone to get involved in the fight against
impaired driving by being responsible hosts and driving sober to and from your
New Year's gatherings," said MADD Canada (http://www.madd.ca/home.html)
National President Margaret Miller.
<<
QUICK FACTS
- You don't need to have a 0.08 blood alcohol concentration to be
impaired. Research shows that drivers whose blood alcohol
concentration is between 0.05 and 0.08 are about seven times more
likely to be involved in a fatal collision than someone who has not
been drinking.
- In 2005, drinking and driving collisions claimed 174 lives in
Ontario. That year, one of every six fatally injured drinking drivers
had a blood alcohol concentration of less than 0.08.
>>
LEARN MORE
Hosting a holiday party? Plan a safe ride home for your guests by
following these home hosting tips
(http://www.occid.org/arrivealive/homehosting.html).
Need a lift? In many communities across the province, Operation Red Nose
(http://www.operationnezrouge.com/en/) volunteers can give you a ride home.
Read Break the Law, Pay the Price
(http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/impaired/breaklaw/breaklaw.shtml) for
more information about drinking and driving sanctions in Ontario.
<<
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ontario.ca/transportation-news
Disponible en français
>>
-30-
For further information: Nicole Lippa-Gasparro, Minister's Office, (416) 327-1815; Bob Nichols, Communications Branch, (416) 327-1158
Other news releases disseminated by this ministry
