Technology needed now to stop drunk drivers

Opinion

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This article was published 10/12/2024 (276 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s that time of year again when people’s calendars are filling up with holiday parties, work celebrations, dinner invitations and festive concerts.

For many, these celebrations are occasions to indulge in a glass of wine or two, drink some champagne, or have a few holiday cocktails. Taxi and ride-sharing drivers, Operation Red Nose volunteers, and sober friends willing to be a designated driver for the night are in high demand.

Thanks to massive awareness campaigns against drunk driving, along with stricter legislative measures and penalties for offenders, the roads are slowly becoming a little safer this time of year. Many people are getting the message and there are fewer drunk drivers behind the wheel around the holiday season.

The Winnipeg Police Service also recently announced it is making breath samples mandatory at all seasonal checkstops instead of administering tests only if the officer becomes suspicious the driver is under the influence. This will not only catch more drunk drivers but hopefully act as a deterrent. With a greater risk of getting caught, impaired drivers are more likely to have sober second thoughts before getting behind the wheel.

Additionally, the NDP government introduced legislation last week that would bring in more punitive measures in attempts to crack down on repeat offenders. Under their proposed new law, drivers convicted of a second drunk driving offence within 10 years of the first would receive a lifetime suspension of their driver’s licence.

Even so, despite massive initiatives launched at getting drunk drivers off the road by increasing penalties and raising awareness, the message still isn’t getting through for some. Consider this: in Canada there are 78,480 impaired drivers convicted annually. What’s even worse is when you consider the reality that the average impaired driver has driven drunk at least 80 times before the initial arrest. In other words, we share the road each and every day with numerous drunk drivers.

Furthermore, much of the progress made at getting drunk drivers off the road during the holiday season vanishes as soon as the checkstop campaigns wind down. Ask any officer and they’ll tell you that impaired driving becomes much more prevalent during the summertime, with long weekends often turning into a deadly nightmare.

It seems that no matter how much effort is put into eradicating drunk driving, it’s not enough. Sadly, and tragically, nearly 500 Canadians lose their lives each year because of this carelessness while thousands more become injured.

But imagine if we could totally eradicate drunk driving and make it a thing of the past. Think of how many lives could be saved and injuries prevented if we no longer had to share the road with impaired drivers.

Some countries are taking concrete action to make this a reality. They are making ignition interlock technology mandatory for all drivers, and not just offenders. Starting in 2027, thanks to legislation passed in 2021 by the Biden administration, all new vehicles manufactured in the United States must come equipped with technology to require drivers to pass a sobriety test before starting the ignition.

The industry is currently exploring two different technologies: one that would require a breathalyzer unit attached to the steering wheel to test the blood alcohol level as the driver exhales normally, and the other is a skin-based test that requires drivers place their finger on a sensor. Once a methodology is approved, car manufacturers will be given time to incorporate the changes to meet the 2027 implementation date. This technology, over time, will be responsible for vastly reducing the number of fatalities and injuries due to impaired driving in the U.S.

Here in Manitoba, similar technology is used extensively but only to prevent repeat offenders from impaired driving. It has been around at least 20 years and requires a breath sample through a screening device that is wired into the vehicle’s ignition. If alcohol is detected, it prevents the vehicle from starting or sounds an alarm if the vehicle is in motion.

It’s effective in preventing repeat offenders but does nothing to stop those who’ve thus far evaded conviction.

MADD Canada wants our country to follow the U.S. and make all new vehicles come equipped with this life-saving technology. They are encouraging everyone to write to their member of parliament to get the Canadian government to change laws to facilitate this change. You can sign their petition or write your MP at stopimpaireddriving.ca

If you’re unsure if these measures are needed in Canada, I can offer you at least 78,480 reasons why it needs to be implemented now.

Rochelle Squires is a recovering politician after 71/2 years in the Manitoba legislature. She is a political and social commentator whose column appears Tuesdays.

rochelle@rochellesquires.ca