NCJ Number
95055
Date Published
1984
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Both stiffer legislation and a change in public attitudes are needed to curb the violence on Canadian highways due to drunk driving.
Abstract
Impaired driving has caused more violent deaths, more injuries, and more grief and bereavement than any other crime in Canada. Combating this very serious problem has been one of the foremost priorities of the Minister of Justice. Legal changes should he made to provide a range of tough and effective penalties for impaired driving. The minimum fine for a first offense should be raised to $300, and a minimum 14-day prison sentence should be imposed for a second offense. Two new types of offenses should be created -- dangerous or impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm, subject to a maximum 14 and 10 years imprisonment, respectively. Some less traditional measures to deal with drunk drivers should also be enacted, including a mandatory suspension of driving privileges, enrollment in an alcohol treatment program or a driver education program as a condition of probation, forfeiture of the motor vehicle, or restitution to the victim. However, because the problem is largely social, the solution ultimately lies in a genuine grassroots movement to achieve lasting change in social attitudes.