“It still amazes me how many people still drink and drive,” says Const. Mark Casey with Barrie Police.
Stricter impaired driving laws come into effect on Tuesday that will allow officers to demand breath samples without ‘reasonable suspicion.’
Under the new legislation, impaired drivers will also face higher fines and penalties.
Police hope these nationwide changes will finally deter people from drinking and driving.
“If you’re impaired, you’re gonna be held accountable to that,” says OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt. “It’s a criminal offence.”
But lawyers say they’re prepared to challenge the new roadside test rules in court.
“The issue will be, as criminal defence lawyers, bringing it to the courts, and challenging it constitutionally. Only the courts can make that decision, but we can make the arguments,” says criminal defence lawyer Karen Jokinen.
Jokinen also says she’s concerned about the accuracy of saliva testing for drugs. “If scientifically it’s not quite there, then that is a charter violation. Plain and simple.”
According to the OPP, more than 7,300 impaired driving charges were laid across Ontario between the start of the year and mid-November.
