Canadian Drivers Will Now Be Breathalyzed Every Single Time They’re Pulled Over

[Jasmine Rain 23126]

 

Impaired driving in Canada have made some radical shifts over the past few years. More specifically, Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) came into effect in the provinces in 2018. That change only impacted individuals going through check stops, but as of now every driver pulled over in Canada will be breathalyzed immediately. This is in hopes to target Canada impaired driving.

Police Service released a new statment today February 6th , to inform the public that “all drivers in Canada can now expect to provide a breath sample when they are pulled over by Canadian police for a traffic stop or Checkstop.”

 
Therefore, this does not just apply to Checkstops, it also applies to any time you may be pulled over in the city while driving.

 
If you’re on your phone, speeding, or making any sort of driving infraction, you will need to provide a breath sample the second you roll that window down.

Impaired driving is the leading criminal cause of death in Canada,” said Const. Andrew Fairman, with the Alcohol and Drug Recognition Unit in the news release. “We all want to do our part to reduce the tragic impact of impaired driving.” 

We can expect these numbers to increase substantially as they no longer apply only to MAS at Checkstops.

According to Criminal Code Section 320.27(2), officers with approved screening devices are allowed to test anyone for impaired driving, “even without reasonable suspicion that the driver has alcohol in their body,” the release explains.

It goes on to describe what this will look like for Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and New Brunswick drivers.

Apparently drivers who are pulled over will be approached by an officer who will say “This is a Mandatory Alcohol Screening. You are required to immediately provide a breath sample.”

The driver will then blow into the Alcohol Screening Device (ASD) which takes less than two minutes.

If there’s no alcohol present, the traffic stop will commence as per usual.

Though this mandatory test is something new, most are aware that drinking and driving is dangerous.

 

 

 

https://toronto-ontario.news/news/canadian-drivers-will-now-be-breathalyzed-every-single-time-theyre-pulled-over/

Thoughts? Opinions?  

It does not say what happens if you refuse or if these devices check for marijuana use.

[Guest]

  Considering the time and costs of testing everyone, expect most police forces to be selective on who they actually breathalyse or not. Also, this will very likely be contested and brought to the Supreme Court. 

  So don't expect massive changes.

[roamingguy 300292]

I believe like Greenteal in practice it'll be business as usual.

Given both drinking and driving and the legalization of marijuana I believe that the mandatory breathalyser will only be used if an officer reasonably believes a person is under the influence of either alcohol or drugs...and if a breathalyser rules out alcohol there is a 12 step "Drug Recognition Expert Evaluation" test which takes about 30 minutes to an hour (no I'm not an expert, I Googled it LOL)  

But the rank and file traffic stops I doubt very much if they'll even be breathalysed.  But any signs of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs the traffic stop will take much longer.

You might even leave in the back of a cruiser crying LOL

Of course just an opinion, I may be wrong

Glad I don't drink and don't take drugs

RG

[Guest]

The original post is inaccurate and a bit misleading. What the new legislation actually states is that if you are pulled over for any reason, an officer has the right to breathalyse you, even if he has no reason to believe you are intoxicated. This differs from the old legislation in that, in the past, an officer required probable cause before testing you.

It in not way suggests that every traffic stop WILL result in a roadside test, but that any traffic stop COULD result on one.

[Jasmine Rain 23126]

Actually it says that police have announced they will be enforcing this. 
 

And in order to do it, they must ask immediately before anything else is done. Meaning they don't have to have cause to ask. 
 

they also must have an approved device which leads to the question of how many officers are going to be carrying these devices. 
 

That is my take away at least. 
 

my other question is around people who take prescription medication like oxycodone.  There are no tests for that and that is equally dangerous. Seems unfair to target Only one type of impairment. 

[Guest]

58 minutes ago, Jessica Rain said:

my other question is around people who take prescription medication like oxycodone.  There are no tests for that and that is equally dangerous. Seems unfair to target Only one type of impairment. 

    There also no field tests if impaired from prescription drugs, medical conditions or plain fatigue, but officers can still perform the Standardized Field Sobriety Test (walk in a straight line, stand and turn, stand on one leg ) and charge you with dangerous driving or else if they determine you're a danger to yourself and others.

[NotchJohnson 214136]

8 hours ago, Greenteal said:

    There also no field tests if impaired from prescription drugs, medical conditions or plain fatigue, but officers can still perform the Standardized Field Sobriety Test (walk in a straight line, stand and turn, stand on one leg ) and charge you with dangerous driving or else if they determine you're a danger to yourself and others.

Do they still make you say the alphabet backwards?  I was never good at saying it the normal way except if I sing it like I was thought in little school !

[Guest]

25 minutes ago, NotchJohnson said:

Do they still make you say the alphabet backwards?  I was never good at saying it the normal way except if I sing it like I was thought in little school !

Not sure. It's maybe an American thing.

[roamingguy 300292]

1 minute ago, NotchJohnson said:

Do they still make you say the alphabet backwards?  I was never good at saying it the normal way except if I sing it like I was thought in little school !

I'd be handing my licence in and tell them no further testing necessary LOL

As a sidebar part of the testing for Alzheimers/Demetia is counting down from a 100 by 3s (eg 100-97-94-91 etc)

OK back to our regularly scheduled program

RG

[NotchJohnson 214136]

14 hours ago, NotchJohnson said:

Do they still make you say the alphabet backwards?  I was never good at saying it the normal way except if I sing it like I was thought in little school !

OMG...I forgot to say that I was kidding about the whole thing. lol

That was too funny to see you guys react to my post like that !

[roamingguy 300292]

Shouldn't have said anything...there would still be people today thinking (and maybe worrying) that saying the alphabet backwards would be part of a field sobriety test LOL

RG

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, NotchJohnson said:

OMG...I forgot to say that I was kidding about the whole thing. lol

That was too funny to see you guys react to my post like that !

In all "seriousness", the alphabet test was likely dropped after some illiterate drivers found it discriminatory. LOL

[Jasmine Rain 23126]

Good because I would have to the alphabet forward first to get the next letter I need to go backwards. Lol. 
 

shouts :Z 

whispers: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwx

Shouts :Y

whispers : abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvw

shouts X

 

........

 

LOL

 

 

[winerdiner 61]

So that means that every city, provincial and RCMP vehicle will be equipped with a breathalyzer? I doubt that. I was pulled over last summer when a person called the police and told them I was drinking and behind the wheel. Let's just say that some people are very vindictive.

I volunteered to take a breathalyzer on the spot when pulled over and the police officer told me "we don't carry breathalyzers in all vehicles" or words to that effect. I would think that an officer sent out on the call like that would certainly have had one but nope. It would probably be a big hit to the budget to have all  police cars equipped as such. Heck why not just equip every personal car on the road with one and you have to blow for the car to start. Costs that most drivers and police agencies wouldn't want to incur perhaps. 

I walked away without blowing anyway. Vindication was sweet