4 Things To Know About BC Impaired Driving Law This Holiday Season

For many, December is the month to enjoy the holidays and go to lots of parties with friends, family, and co-workers. Often alcoholic beverages are served at these holiday festivities.

Here are four things to know about impaired driving in British Columbia this season.

1.      CounterAttack Program

There is a special province-wide program called CounterAttack which is specifically designed to catch impaired drivers with roadblocks. The program has been underway since December 1, and police are actively trying to catch impaired drivers.

2.      Refusing a breath test is against the law.

That’s right. You do not have the right to refuse a breath test. If you get stopped, and are asked to take a breath test, take it. The penalty for refusing a breath test can be as bad as the penalty for impaired driving. If you think you have a good reason for not taking a breath test, you will have to prove that in court, and it will be an uphill battle.

3.      BC is tough on impaired drivers

The laws in BC are the toughest in the country for impaired drivers. There is the possibility of steep fines, jail time, losing your licence, and increased insurance premiums. There is a stigma attached to being found guilty of impaired driving, and it is also a terrible inconvenience if you lose your driver’s licence for a period of time.

4.      Drinking in public places in illegal

Unless you are in a place where alcohol is being served legally, it is against the law to be drinking in public. It is against the law to be drinking alcohol in a vehicle even if the vehicle is parked. It is illegal to drink in a public place like a park or walk down the street drinking.

Our advice for this holiday season? Do not drink and drive. If you want to drink then make sure you have a designated non-drinking driver or use one of many services available to drive you and your vehicle home. Do not rely on the one-drink-per-hour rule of thumb. That calculation does not work for everyone because we all metabolize alcohol differently.

If, despite precautions, you are arrested for impaired driving, contact a criminal lawyer as soon as possible like Michael Bloom to defend you. Mr. Bloom can be reached at (877) 603-5513.

Michael Bloom is a very experienced criminal defence lawyer, who started his career as a Crown Prosecutor.

If you have any questions about this article or would like to schedule a free consultation with Mr. Bloom, please call his office at (604) 603-5513 or Toll-Free at (877) 603-5513.