Drinking and driving is not cool and it can come with some very serious consequences.
What are the consequences you ask if you get caught? Mark Hume with the RCMP shares them.
"There are two different charges under the Criminal Code," said Hume. "One is driving while being impaired and the second one is being over the limit. You may not feel impaired, but you could still be over the limit."
And even if you had several beverages the night before and think you're 100 percent good to go in the morning, time is your best friend.
"We have seen a drastic increase in early morning impaired driving cases." offered Hume. "Drivers have said they drank the night before and decided five or six hours of sleep is enough to sober up and it just isn't."
Drinking and driving continues to be the leading cause of criminal death in Canada. In a report shared by the federal government, data shows that in 2019, before the pandemic, 3,200 deaths related to alcohol were recorded in Canada. A year later, that number increased by nearly 600 deaths to 3,790. That once again increased the following year to 3,875.
"The biggest consequence is killing somebody or killing yourself on the road and far too many people die from impaired drivers in this country, even one is too much," said Hume.
Even just a couple of drinks can begin to affect your fine motor skills. Hume says if you were to have 12 beers throughout the evening, it would take roughly 12 hours for you to be back to 0. If you do get caught and have a blood alcohol level (BAL) of 0.05 and you are a first-time offender, it would be a three-day driving suspension and a three-day impound. That can be increased to 60 days if it isn't your first time.
If you blow 0.08, it can be a three-month suspension and up to two-month vehicle impound. If it goes to criminal charges, the minimum penalty is $1000 and a year-long driving prohibition. While officers may not always test drivers to see what their BAL is, they can do so since a new law called 'Mandatory Alcohol Screening' was initiated in 2018. No matter the time or day, officers can test you, regardless of whether they think you have had anything to drink or not.
"We are testing regularly," said Hume. "Drinking and driving is dangerous, but people continue to do it. We appreciate those Manitobans that follow the rules and drive sober."
So the next time you're planning on having a few drinks, plan a safe ride home if you're out and remember, time is your friend when sobering up
