Stay Safe This Long Weekend
July 30, 2010
McGuinty Government Reminds All Ontarians Not to Drink and Drive
Ontarians are reminded to help keep our roads safe by not drinking and driving on this Civic Holiday weekend – one of the busiest times on our roads.
New rules that take effect August 1st mean that all drivers 21 years of age and under must have a zero blood alcohol level while driving or face:
- An immediate 24-hour licence suspension at roadside
- A further 30-day licence suspension on conviction
- Up to $500 in fines
Novice drivers in the Graduated Licensing System are already required to maintain a zero blood alcohol concentration level when driving.
All drivers who are caught with a blood alcohol concentration level in the warn range (0.05 to 0.08 BAC) face a minimum three-day roadside licence suspension.
QUICK FACTS
- Drivers aged 19 to 21 are almost one-and-a-half times as likely to be involved in drinking and driving fatal injury crashes.
- In Ontario, 235 drivers age 21 and under were killed in drinking and driving collisions in the latest 10-year period for which statistics are available.
- The average number of drinking drivers involved in fatal crashes during the summer months is about 70 per cent higher than during the remainder of the year.
