The presents have been unwrapped and the new year’s confetti has been swept away at the same time as Durham Police’s Festive R.I.D.E. campaign has come to an end for 2019.
Durham Police ran their annual seven week R.I.D.E. campaign (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere), which concluded on New Year’s Day 2020. As a result of this campaign, a grand total of 104 motorists were charged with drinking and driving offences, which was an increase from those charged in 2018.
Prior to the commencement of the Festive R.I.D.E. campaign, Durham Police have charged 644 motorists with impaired driving offences in 2019. This is a 19% increase in charges from 2018.
CHARGES ARISING OUT OF TRAFFIC STOPS IN 2019
This past year, Durham Police stopped more than 19,000 vehicles during the 2019 R.I.D.E. campaign. During these traffic stops, 787 motorists were given roadside breath tests. Of those given breath tests, 86 motorists had their driver’s license suspended for three days for registering in the “warn” range. There were 104 motorists charged with drinking and driving offences.
In comparison to the 2018 winter holiday season, less vehicles were stopped by Durham Police this year. In 2018, 25,110 vehicles were stopped during Durham Police’s annual RIDE campaign and 117 motorists were charged with drinking and driving offences in Durham. During that year’s R.I.D.E. campaign, 111 motorists had their driver’s license suspended for three days after registering in the “waning range” during their roadside test.
Although the number of motorists charged with impaired driving was lower this year than last year, the rate of impaired charges laid increased. In 2019, one in every 188 motorists stopped by the police was charged with an offence of drinking and driving in comparison to one in every 214 motorists charged with an offence in 2018.
Durham Police also laid 379 charges for various Highway Traffic Act offences during their traffic stops. Police also charged 4 motorists with drug offences and 7 motorists with offences related to the Cannabis Act.
ALLEGED IMPAIRED DRIVING ACCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED OVER THE HOLIDAYS
Festive R.I.D.E. campaigns ran throughout the Greater Toronto Area this past holiday season. Despite these efforts, numerous motor vehicle accidents occurred during the holiday season as a result of suspected impaired drivers in the GTA.
On the evening of December 22, 2019, two international students were killed while walking on the sidewalk when a driver lost control of his vehicle, jumped the curb and plowed down the pedestrians in Scarborough. A third pedestrian was also injured in the accident and was taken to hospital in serious condition. Michael Johnson of Pickering was arrested at the scene of the collision and is facing nine charges, including two counts of impaired driving causing death and one count of impaired driving causing bodily harm.
On the evening of December 26, 2019, a four-vehicle collision occurred on the Queen Elizabeth Way in Oakville. Four individuals were transported to hospital with minor injuries. One motorist was taken into custody on suspicion of drunk driving.
On December 27, 2019, a man was taken into custody on suspicion of impaired driving after he lost control of his vehicle, veered off the road and slammed into a TTC bus shelter that had people inside of it in the area of Sheppard Avenue and Progress Avenue in Scarborough. There were no reported injuries as a result of this accident.
On New Year’s Eve, a 68-year-old man died at the scene of a car accident when a suspected impaired driver collided with his Toyota in the area of Elgin Mills Road and Ninth Line in York Region. Stanley Choy of Whitchurch-Stouffville was charged with impaired driving causing death, operation with a blood alcohol concentration 80 plus causing death, and dangerous operation causing death.
TIPS TO AVOID IMPAIRED DRIVING CHARGES
Impaired driving is a crime under the Criminal Code of Canada and the consequences are very serious. In Canada, the maximum legal blood alcohol concentration for fully licensed drivers is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood (0.08). In Ontario, motorists can face serious penalties if their blood alcohol concentration is found to fall between 0.05 and 0.08, considered the “warn” range.
The legal team at Barrison Law would like to provide the following tips to avoid the consequences of an impaired driving charge:
- Always have a plan to return home safely, either a designated driver, public transit, calling a friend or loved one, a ride share or taxi, or plan to stay overnight and sleep it off;
- Tell your family and friends about your plan to get home safely;
- Do not over-indulge in alcohol or cannabis;
- Be sure to drink plenty of water;
- Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether there are any side effects related to driving when using prescription medication;
- Parents should model safe driving behaviours by avoiding driving a vehicle while impaired; and
- Be aware that fatigue and stress may affect your ability to operate a vehicle safely.
If you have been charged with a driving offence or have any questions regarding your legal rights, please contact the experienced criminal lawyers at Barrison Law online or at 905-404-1947. We offer a 24-hour phone service to protect your rights and to ensure that you have access to justice at all times.