Rid Roads of Impaired Drivers

Young drivers pose particular risks in traffic—especially when they are impaired by alcohol
or other drugs. Many different factors are linked to the problem of young impaired drivers:
access to alcohol and drugs, access to vehicles, cultural characteristics, and the geography of a
given area. In order to explore the risks posed by young impaired drivers and how these risks
might be ameliorated, the Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Transportation Committee of the
Transportation Research Board convened a workshop to discuss these issues as they relate to

The Traffic Injury Research Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the Alcohol Interlock Curriculum for Practitioners (AICP) website, an educational resource for diverse audiences. Information relating to the following topics can be found at this site:

"A random survey of drivers was conducted at pre-selected locations in British Columbia from Wednesday to Saturday nights in June 2008. The purpose was to collect information on the prevalence of alcohol and drug use among nighttime drivers. Those surveyed were asked to provide a voluntary breath sample to measure their alcohol use and an oral fluid sample to be tested subsequently for the presence of drugs."

This guide for justice professionals and policy makers was developed at the 4th meeting of the working group on DWI system improvements. This working group is a Traffic Injury Research Foundation initiative and is a coalition of criminal justice professionals representing 14 criminal justice organizations that has been improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the DWI system since 2004.

This story will make you think twice about driving and texting at the same time. After a little consideration, it might also make you think twice about doing all the other things that you do when you really should be paying attention to the task of driving.

In this story a teen that was texting rear ended another vehicle and caused serious injury to a 3 year old child. The pictures and story are chilling.

The BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation is honouring 26 police officers from Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley for their diligence in removing impaired drivers from the roads of our communities.

These officers will become part of Alexa’s Team in remembrance of Alexa Middelaer who lost her life at age four and a half after being run down by a vehicle driven by an individual suspected of being impaired at the time.

Remember these? For those who never saw the Burma Shave signs, here is a quick lesson in our history of the 1930's and '40's. Before the Interstates, when everyone drove the old two-lane roads, Burma Shave signs would be posted all over the countryside in farmers' fields. They were small red signs with white letters. Five signs, about 100 feet apart, each containing 1 line of a 4 line couplet......and the obligatory 5th sign advertising Burma Shave, a popular shaving cream.

Ignition interlocks have been in use in BC since 2005 when they were made mandatory for certain high risk drinking drivers. Effective February 1, 2009 the provincial government has announced the commencement of an significant expansion of their use.

Applied to convictions after that date, drivers who are charged with impaired driving or recipients of 2 Administrative Driving Prohibitions or three 24 hour prohibitions within a five year period will have to drive a vehicle with an interlock device that will prevent the vehicle from operating if the driver has alcohol on their breath.

A new poll by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation reveals that a significant number of Canadians are personally affected by drinking and driving crashes, making it a real cause for concern.

The public opinion poll conducted in September investigated how many Canadians had a family member or close friend who were involved in a drinking and driving crash.

The accused was stopped at a roadblock about midnight by police checking for driving infractions. An officer immediately noted that his eyes were bloodshot and watery and he had a mild to moderate odour of liquor on his breath. She read the accused the approved screening device demand and he blew a “Warn”, which indicated his blood alcohol level was between 50mg% and 100mg%.