B.C.’s new impaired driving laws: What’s changed?

May 14, 2010

Impaired drivers continue to injure and kill people in B.C. In fact, each year over 100 people are killed and more than 3,000 people are injured by impaired drivers.

In April 2010, the Provincial Government introduced amendments to the impaired driving sections of the Motor Vehicle Act to give B.C. the toughest impaired driving legislation in the country. These new measures are focused on deterring everyone – from those caught with a blood alcohol level in the ‘warn’ range, to habitual impaired drivers – and the more serious the offence, the more serious the consequences.

What’s changed?

• Penalties for all impaired drivers will increase. View current and new penalties comparison chart.
• Enforcement will start at the “warn” range (blood-alcohol content of 0.05). Learn more.
• Police officers will no longer need to take impaired drivers to the station for an additional breath analysis in order to impose a driving ban longer than 24 hours.

For more information and to view the complete list of impaired driving sanctions see Provincial Government announcement.

Read Alexa Middelaer's story