Legislative amendments to the New Brunswick Motor Vehicle Act are increasing the penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, effective Tuesday.
Police will have the power to test drivers suspected of being under the influence with an oral fluid device.
As well, officers can seize vehicles, and suspend a driver’s licence on the spot if they show signs of being impaired.
As of midnight tonight, police officers who have an approved screening device will be able to randomly test a breath sample of any driver they lawfully stop, even without reasonable suspicion that the driver has alcohol in their body. #DontDrinkAndDrive #DriveSober #ArriveAlive
— KRPF Traffic (@KRPFTraffic) December 17, 2018
Lawbreakers will be subject to escalating short term licence suspensions, and vehicle impoundments for repeat occurrences within five years.
Any drivers who are criminally charged, or who commit multiple offences in a five year time period will be required to participate in a driver re-education course.
In their 2017 Annual Report, the New Brunswick RCMP say one third of the 66 fatalities on roads were linked to alcohol or drugs.
Last year, they handed out 793 impaired driving charges provincewide.
