Ontario’s provincial police force has a new approach to reducing impaired driving, and it’s calling the move its toughest measure yet.
Drivers will now have to provide a breath test during every traffic stop, even if there is no suspicion that they have been drinking.
And if you don’t comply, you could be charged.
“Under Canada’s Mandatory Alcohol Screening law, drivers must immediately comply with a police officer’s demand for a breath sample, even in the absence of any suspicion that they have consumed alcohol,” reads a statement from the OPP.
Those who fail to provide a sample could face hefty fines, license suspensions or even jail time.
This decision comes in response to an uptick in impaired driving collisions and charges.
“Impaired-related collisions mark the highest increases among the OPP‘s regions,” reads a recent statement from police.
Over the last six years, 385 people have been killed in impaired driving-related crashes, according to data from the police service.
The force says it’s seen a 30 per cent increase in impaired drivers in the last five years and expects the trend to continue into the spring.
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