End Of The Road For Suspended And Impaired Drivers
December 1, 2010
McGuinty Government Protecting Ontario Families
Starting today, new measures will help keep suspended and impaired drivers off Ontario’s roads. This change will also provide added enforcement against people who have had their driver’s licences suspended for consistently not paying family support.
Individuals can have their vehicles impounded for seven days on the spot if they are caught:
- Driving with a blood alcohol concentration over .08 (beyond the legal limit) or for failing/refusing to provide a breath sample
- Driving while under certain Highway Traffic Act licence suspensions including chronic non-payment of family support
- Driving without an ignition interlock device when one is required.
The seven-day vehicle impoundment program changes are part of the Road Safety Act, 2009 and will make Ontario’s roads safer.
QUICK FACTS
- Approximately 2.3 per cent of all fatal and injury crashes in Ontario involve drivers with suspended or revoked licences.
- It is estimated that up to three-quarters of all suspended drivers continue to drive.
- Annually, Ontario issues approximately 17,000 licence suspensions related to driving with a blood alcohol concentration over .08 and/or for failing/refusing to provide a breath sample.
- Vehicles can already be taken off the road for a minimum of 45 days if individuals are caught driving while under suspension for a conviction under the Criminal Code.
- Between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010, the Family Responsibility Office suspended 3,965 driver’s licenses.
- The Family Responsibility Office works with parents to help them make their support payments.
