:
A set of laws have been implemented and imposed by the Canadian government to address the increasing concerns brought by the effects of impaired driving. In general, these laws can be summed into a number of points.
First of all, an individual who is caught operating any type of vehicle while he is under the influence of drugs or has a blood alcohol level that reaches or exceeds 80 milligrams can be accused and charged with an impaired driving offense. The exact alcohol concentration limit may vary from one province to another, hence, it is advisable for motorists to consult their local government. Second, the motorist commits an additional offense if he refuses or fails to allow an officer to obtain a breath sample that will be used by a roadside screening instrument to verify his intoxication.
Next, an individual who has committed one or both of the above-mentioned offenses will lose his driver's license for a minimum of one year. This particular impaired driving law is strictly implemented in most Canadian provinces. Aside from the suspension of the license of a convicted drunk driver, there are other penalties set out by the law. These include payment of fines, confiscation of the vehicle, and possible imprisonment for up to ten years or more.
Moving on, the Canadian laws concerning impaired driving also state that the person accused has the right to receive a fair trial. For this purpose, he is given the chance to acquire legal assistance from a drunk driving lawyer who will represent his interests in court and clear his charge or reduce his sentence.
