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CRIME: Tough new rules to check drunk driving, liquor-induced violence
        (AlbertaIndex, June 24, Tuesday) --- Efforts are underway to check drunk driving and liquor-induced violence in bars and night clubs in Alberta.
        Starting July 1, drivers who are convicted of having twice the legal limit or higher of alcohol in their bloodstreams will be required to attach alcohol sensors to their vehicle ignitions before they are allowed to drive again.

The Mandatory Ignition Interlock Program applies to drivers convicted of drinking and driving with a blood-alcohol reading of double the legal limit of .08/80 milligrams per cent or higher, as well as those who refused to provide a breath or blood sample, or were repeat offenders over the past 10 years.

At the same time, the newly established Alberta Safer Bars Council (ASBC) has promised to create a safe environment for patrons and staff at bars and nightclubs throughout the province.

New measures to stop drunk drivers

“We already have laws to get drunk drivers off the road,” said Transportation Minister Luke Ouellette. “These are extra measures to ensure that people who show a blatant disregard for the law finally get the message that drinking and driving is not acceptable.”

After serving the court-ordered suspension, convicted drivers must apply to the Alberta Transportation Safety Board to have an ignition interlock installed in the vehicle they will be driving. Their driver’s licence will not be reissued until they have the mechanism installed, at their own expense.

“Holding a driver’s licence is a privilege that comes with conditions”, said Alberta Transportation Safety Board Chair, Gary Boddez. “Being convicted of drinking and driving means the driver has violated the trust relationship with the province. One way to re-establish the trust relationship is to provide hard evidence by installing an ignition interlock device, to show that the driver can drive without drinking.”

The ignition interlock is an alcohol-sensing device attached to a vehicle’s ignition system. If it detects a pre-set level of alcohol, the driver will not be able to start or drive the vehicle. The device also calls for random breath samples while the vehicle is being driven. If the driver does not provide a “pass” sample within a certain time frame, the vehicle’s horn is activated.

At least once every 60 days, participants must bring their vehicles to the installer who inspects the equipment. The installer transfers the recorded information, which includes all “pass”, “fail”, and “warning” attempts, to the Alberta Transportation Safety Board.

Reinstatement of unrestricted driving privileges at the end of the suspension period depends on the participant’s performance in the program.  Monitoring lasts for at least six months, during which there is a zero-tolerance policy.

Participants pay for all costs such as application fees, installation and monthly rental of the interlock devices, registration costs for mandatory impaired-driving courses and fees for conditional driver’s licences. The interlock device remains on the vehicle until the licence suspension period is over, or longer, at the discretion of the Alberta Transportation Safety Board, based on the participant’s performance on the program.

Alberta Safer Bars Council to help check drinking-related violence

The new council will provide input to the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) on policy development and implementation of best practices to help reduce the number of violent incidents in and around licensed venues.
Members were chosen based on their knowledge of Alberta’s liquor industry and the issues surrounding violence in and around licensed premises. The 24 individuals represent police agencies, municipalities, liquor and hospitality industries and several government departments.

“This is a growing concern in our society that government can’t solve in isolation,” said Fred Lindsay, Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security, responsible for the AGLC.

“Everyone has a role to play and I’m pleased to see such a broad range of knowledge, experience and diverse perspectives around the table to address this issue.”

Members of the council were appointed by the AGLC and will serve a two-year term.

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