Tougher penalties for driving while under the influence of drugs take effect today, August 1, said Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Robert Vessey.
“Motorists who choose to use drugs while driving will now have their licences suspended for a longer period of time,” Minister Vessey said. “This gives our law enforcement officers one more tool to keep Island roads safe from impaired drivers.”
The new penalties will result in:
• a seven-day driver licence suspension for (non-graduated) drivers who refuse or fail a roadside physical coordination test;
• a 90-day suspension for all drivers who are charged with drug-impaired driving under the Criminal Code of Canada; and
• a 90-day suspension for all graduated drivers who refuse or fail the physical coordination test.
The increased penalties are outlined in amendments to the Highway Traffic Act passed in the Legislature this spring. For more on the laws that govern impaired driving in Prince Edward Island, visit www.gov.pe.ca/highwaysafety.