Alberta drivers arrested for the first time for drunk driving will not be charged criminally, under new laws unveiled by the Alberta government Thursday..Instead, under a measure designed to clear up thousands of hours of court time, the drivers will face steeper fines and restrictions in a process the government says will take no longer than 30 days..Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer said Thursday the legislation would see a first-time impaired driver fined $1,000 and banned from driving for over a year unless they have an ignition interlock installed in their vehicle..Drivers can appeal the decision, with the entire process scheduled to take no more than 30 days..Schweitzer said repeat offenders and those who cause bodily harm or death will still face criminal charges..“By removing these matters from the court system, we will save thousands of hours of police and court time per year, ensuring Alberta’s prosecutors and courts are able focus on the most serious justice matters and more police are patrolling the streets,” the government said in a release..“This bill would introduce a new Immediate Roadside Sanction program in late 2020 that would keep our roads safer by providing serious, immediate and escalating consequences for all impaired drivers – a system that has been proven to significantly reduce impaired driving and especially impaired driving fatalities in other jurisdictions.”.The government said new zero-tolerance consequences for novice drivers and commercial drivers will also be introduced, as will new fines, longer vehicle seizures, mandatory education and lengthy periods of ignition interlock. . Defying crackdown, hundreds march against lockdowns in Calgary .“The new impaired driving administrative model is based on changes made in British Columbia, which has seen their rates of impaired driving incidents drop by 36 per cent from 2011 to 2018 and the number of impaired driving fatalities fall by 54 per cent from 2010 to 2018,” said the government..“We have heard loud and clear from Albertans that they are frustrated with seeing cases dropped because of the court backlog we inherited from the previous government. This legislation proposes smart administrative changes that will ensure our courts and police can keep our communities safe by focusing on serious and violent crime,” said Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer..Alberta police chiefs welcomed the move..“This announcement is good news for policing and the justice system as a whole. With court time being used more appropriately, we will have increased capacity to begin repairing the damage caused by impaired driving and follow other successful models in reducing traffic collisions that cause serious injury or death. An expedient, simplified traffic system also means officers are granted more time in our communities to focus on reducing crime and victimization,” said Dale McFee, chief of the Edmonton Police Service, and president, of the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police.Anti-drunk driving advocates also welcomed the proposed changes..“MADD Canada welcomes these new laws and sanctions. These streamlined administrative options for certain offenders have proven very effective at reducing impaired driving and saving lives in other provinces. They will do the same in Alberta. We thank the Government of Alberta for its leadership and ongoing efforts to prevent impaired driving,” said Andrew Murie, chief executive officer, of MADD Canada..The UCP government is also setting up a new system to deal with traffic tickets..“If passed, Bill 21 would also create an administrative process for dealing with non-criminal traffic offences. The new online system would be introduced in late 2021 and would be easier and quicker for Albertans to navigate,” the government said..“These tickets, currently dealt with by the courts, will be handled online by administrative adjudicators – removing almost two million tickets from the courts. This system will be easier to use and Albertans will have their matters dealt with in 30 days, not months or years after the fact to ensure impaired drivers are off the roads as soon as possible.”.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694
Alberta drivers arrested for the first time for drunk driving will not be charged criminally, under new laws unveiled by the Alberta government Thursday..Instead, under a measure designed to clear up thousands of hours of court time, the drivers will face steeper fines and restrictions in a process the government says will take no longer than 30 days..Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer said Thursday the legislation would see a first-time impaired driver fined $1,000 and banned from driving for over a year unless they have an ignition interlock installed in their vehicle..Drivers can appeal the decision, with the entire process scheduled to take no more than 30 days..Schweitzer said repeat offenders and those who cause bodily harm or death will still face criminal charges..“By removing these matters from the court system, we will save thousands of hours of police and court time per year, ensuring Alberta’s prosecutors and courts are able focus on the most serious justice matters and more police are patrolling the streets,” the government said in a release..“This bill would introduce a new Immediate Roadside Sanction program in late 2020 that would keep our roads safer by providing serious, immediate and escalating consequences for all impaired drivers – a system that has been proven to significantly reduce impaired driving and especially impaired driving fatalities in other jurisdictions.”.The government said new zero-tolerance consequences for novice drivers and commercial drivers will also be introduced, as will new fines, longer vehicle seizures, mandatory education and lengthy periods of ignition interlock. . Defying crackdown, hundreds march against lockdowns in Calgary .“The new impaired driving administrative model is based on changes made in British Columbia, which has seen their rates of impaired driving incidents drop by 36 per cent from 2011 to 2018 and the number of impaired driving fatalities fall by 54 per cent from 2010 to 2018,” said the government..“We have heard loud and clear from Albertans that they are frustrated with seeing cases dropped because of the court backlog we inherited from the previous government. This legislation proposes smart administrative changes that will ensure our courts and police can keep our communities safe by focusing on serious and violent crime,” said Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer..Alberta police chiefs welcomed the move..“This announcement is good news for policing and the justice system as a whole. With court time being used more appropriately, we will have increased capacity to begin repairing the damage caused by impaired driving and follow other successful models in reducing traffic collisions that cause serious injury or death. An expedient, simplified traffic system also means officers are granted more time in our communities to focus on reducing crime and victimization,” said Dale McFee, chief of the Edmonton Police Service, and president, of the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police.Anti-drunk driving advocates also welcomed the proposed changes..“MADD Canada welcomes these new laws and sanctions. These streamlined administrative options for certain offenders have proven very effective at reducing impaired driving and saving lives in other provinces. They will do the same in Alberta. We thank the Government of Alberta for its leadership and ongoing efforts to prevent impaired driving,” said Andrew Murie, chief executive officer, of MADD Canada..The UCP government is also setting up a new system to deal with traffic tickets..“If passed, Bill 21 would also create an administrative process for dealing with non-criminal traffic offences. The new online system would be introduced in late 2021 and would be easier and quicker for Albertans to navigate,” the government said..“These tickets, currently dealt with by the courts, will be handled online by administrative adjudicators – removing almost two million tickets from the courts. This system will be easier to use and Albertans will have their matters dealt with in 30 days, not months or years after the fact to ensure impaired drivers are off the roads as soon as possible.”.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694