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Impaired Driving In Canada

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“In the hands of an impaired driver, a vehicle becomes a murderous weapon.” ( ) Everyone can think of someone who has driven impaired, or even maybe you have done it yourself. The fact that one can think of someone who has driven impaired is a problem. Too many people are getting behind the wheel after drinking, smoking; or are not paying attention while they drive. Impaired driving continues to a problem although strides have been made to make a difference. There are many different types of impaired driving, each that have their own consequences. These types, and consequences will be explored in this essay.
Impaired driving is a world wide problem that people are searching for a solution too, but it is very hard to find. So we wonder, what …show more content…

V. Nickle case. This took place in 1920 in Alberta. In this case the the court or appeal concluded that driving while intoxicated was a criminal offence and it could support a manslaughter conviction. Following this, in 1925, Parliament of Canada changed the Criminal Code of Canada to include a new offence. This offence concluded that no driving should take place while one is under a narcotic. Later on though, difficulties arose when debating how to prove someone was in care and control of the motor vehicle while driving impaired. This resulted in another change made in 1951 when Parliament once again changed the law, making it an offence to operate or control a motorized vehicle while the drivers ability is impaired by alcohol or other drugs. The breathalyzer was made into practice in 1952 which allowed for police to measure ones BAC (blood alcohol concentration). By 1962 police were using the breathalyzer for “mass testing.” However, the test was only voluntary, and could only be used as confirmatory evidence. In 1969 is when Parliament created the offence “over 80.” This meant over 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milligrams of blood. By 2008 drinking and driven cases made up of 12% of all criminal charges which made it the largest criminal offence group. In fact, in 2008 it was estimated that 53,000 new drinking and driving cases are heard every year in Canada. (“MADD: Youth and …show more content…

(Greg Monforton, Statistics). People between the ages of 19-24 account for the majority of impaired driving accidents. In fact, more 19 year olds are killed or suffer from impaired driving accidents than any other age group. It is clear that skill and their level of maturity. Now you have to wonder, who exactly is causing these accidents? Being a male is already a major problem, in fact 87% of fatally injured impaired drivers are male. Also, summer time is considered the “peak” season for impaired driving, summertime accounts for 40%. Another factor is the time of week, as one can assume, the weekend hold the majority of impaired driving cases. Similarly, the majority of these accidents happen at night. The statistics say enough, one who is over .10% BAC is 51% likely to get into a collision. (Greg Monforton, Statistics). Motor vehicle collisions are the major cause of death for 15-25 year olds. Many of these statics are based on the use of alcohol, but there is also marijuana and distracted driving that plays a major role in car collisions. Canadians that are between the ages of 15-25 have the largest cannabis use in the

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