This May long weekend officers from the North Bay Police Service will be conducting the R.I.D.E. program throughout the city.
R.I.D.E. stands for Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere, and is a program police across Canada use to deter impaired driving and to arrest and charge those who choose to drive while drunk or high.
The Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) legislation in Canada now allows any police officer to stop a vehicle and compel the driver to provide a breath sample into a roadside screening device. If a person refuses, they will be charged with “Refusal”, which is a criminal offence, and carries the same consequences as driving impaired.
Police also have the ability to detect drivers who are impaired by drugs and compel them to be tested further by a Drug Recognition Officer at police headquarters
“These extra RIDE programs being conducted over the long weekend, will not only augment the increased traffic enforcement from our front line officers, they will help detect those who choose to drive impaired, putting people at risk on the roadways in our community.” Says Inspector of Operations, Jeff Warner. “In addition to a number of moving violations, our officers will be looking for seatbelt infractions, distracted drivers and modified vehicles. I encourage the public to report suspected Impaired Drivers to our service”
Police are reminding the public, that Impaired Driving is a crime, and being charged with it carries the following immediate consequences:
- 7-day vehicle impoundment
- A mandatory 90-day driver’s license suspension
- Upon conviction, drivers face heavy fines, further driver’s license suspensions and possible jail time.
