Times Advocate, 1996-12-18, Page 17Second Section - December 18 1996
Spreading the message of sober driving
Senior Constable
Al Penn displays
the instrument at
the Exeter OPP
detachment used
to measure the
amount of alcohol
in someone's
breath. A blood-
alcohol level of
80 milligrams in
100 milliliters of
blood is the
maximum legal
limit to drive.
Senior Constable
Ray Jack hails in
a motorist during
a R.I.D.E. check
conducted In
Exeter recently.
Guarding our
roads against
drunk drivers is a
year-round goal
for OPP. As of
Dec. 12 the
Huron County
detachment has
not laid any
charges for
impaired driving,
blowing over 80
mgs or refusing to
provide a breath
sample.
BYttiris Skalktiit:."'.�'-,ate, �,►...�
T -A Repos ert
EXETER - Officials hope tougher measures from the Mike
Harris government will pull drunk drivers off the roads
immediately and speed up the court process, however, Exeter
detachment Ontario Provincial Police say it won't decrease the
amount of spot-checks conducted in the area.
With the holiday season upon us, the Ontario Provincial Police
are reminding the public it will be out in full force in an effort to
crack down on impaired drivers. Exeter, Goderich and Wingham
OPP detachments along with other police services across the
region are conducting a number of RIDE (Reduced Impaired
Driving Everywhere) programs throughout Huron County.
The new provincial measure, called an administrative driver's
licence suspension (ADLS), will impose an automatic 90 day
licence suspension for drivers who refuse to give a breath test or
blow over the legal limit. The suspension is independent of any
Criminal Code action taken during court proceedings, including
fines, demerit points and suspensions. If convicted of driving with
wasatidat
a lalood-alcohol revel .o riulliirams ii '!iters of t�lobd,
the drivers' licence is suspended. for 12 months and a fine of about
$750 is issued.
Senior Constable Al Penn of the Exeter OPP detachment said the
immediate automatic suspension will act as a deterrent for people
who may be thinking of getting behind the wheel after drinking,
but it will also discourage those who are charged from delaying
their court dates in an attempt to retain their driver's licence for as
long as possible.
Under the new system, it would be more beneficial for an
impaired driver to settle in court as early as possible because the
automatic one-year suspension and the 90 day suspension would
be concurrent.
"Before, (those charged) tied the courts up using remands...this
is going to speed things up," said Penn, adding he has fielded a
few comments from the general public who are applauding the
stiffer penalty.
As of Dec. 12 no one in Huron County has been charged with
impaired driving or refusing to give a breath sample since the new
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'Ry
su4peiiii�`8n came into effect Nov. 29-Ifimteilieratttettiarts of the
province have not seen a decline in chino. 'It Nis recently been
reported Transportation Minister Al Palladini is discouraged that
800 Ontario motorists have had their licence suspended under the
new system in the last two weeks. He says more penalties are
needed, such as having vehicles impounded and imposing longer
jail sentences.
Penn said OPP will bump up their RIDE programs for the season
holidays, but the war against drunk drivers is still a year-round
concern for police that are conducting them randomly throughout
the region.
"Our primary objective is to get drunk driver's off the road,"
said Penn, adding the program also has another purpose. "It's an
awareness program as well as an enforcement program."
Senior Constable Ray Jack said roadside spot checks are highly
visible and as a result shows drivers police are taking a pro -active
approach to spreading the message of sober driving.
"We want (drivers) to stop and think before they get into a car,
no matter what time of the year it is," said Jack.