Impaired drivers with children in car could face harsher consequences in Sask.
Length of a 1st offence suspension would be 7 days, up from 3
Saskatchewan drivers with a blood alcohol concentration over 0.04 with children in their vehicle could face harsher penalties.
An amendment to the Traffic Safety Act was introduced Thursday for its first reading, outlining what measures people transporting children under 16 are subject to if caught driving impaired. They involve a seven-day roadside suspension and seizure of their vehicle upon their first offence.
As it stands, an impaired driver faces a three-day suspension and seizure of their vehicle upon their first offence.
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Joe Hargrave, minister of multiple Crown corporations including SGI, said the idea came from Manitoba.
"As I mentioned before, we're going to continue to look at things that are going to affect impaired driving," said Hargrave.
Repeat offenders could also face harsher consequences.
Under the proposed legislation, second time offenders will have their cars impounded for 30 days, instead of seven. For third time offenders the time frame goes up to 60 days, instead of 14.
In September, a Regina Police Service traffic officer pulled over an impaired man driving his children to school. The man's blood alcohol concentration was four times the legal limit.
The officer tweeted about the incident.
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Hargrave said he was already looking into increasing the penalties at the time but said that example was certainly in his mind.
"What could have happened to those kids, the thought just scares me," said Hargrave.
Opposition critic Carla Beck said the measure is a step in the right direction but more needs to be done.
"We have the highest rates of drunk driving in the country persistently and it is important that we address them," said Beck.
She added that changes in law are an important part of the equation. However, she said enforcement and education are crucial in curbing the high rates of drunk driving.
"Laws are part of it, but that changing of culture, public awareness and enforcement I think also have to be a piece of it," said Beck.
The current legislation still allows for drivers to consume some alcohol before driving with children. Hargrave said he's not closed to the idea of a zero tolerance policy.
"We don't think we have to go to zero just at this point but it's something that we're going to continue to look at," he said.
Corrections
- A previous version of this article indicated that the legislation was already in effect. In fact, the legislation was introduced for its first reading on Nov. 2, 2017.Nov 02, 2017 4:43 PM CT
With files from Stefani Langenegger