Changes to the Highway Traffic Act will help make Island roads safer by giving new powers to law enforcement to get drug-impaired drivers off the road immediately after being pulled over, says Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Robert Vessey.
“Driving after taking a cocktail of prescription or illicit drugs is just as dangerous as driving while drunk,” said the minister. “These changes will help make it easier to get those drivers who are stoned or high, and a danger to Islanders, immediately off our roads.”
The changes under the Highway Traffic Act, introduced today, give law enforcement new powers to immediately revoke a driver’s licence if they fail a Standard Field Sobriety Test and are suspected of driving while impaired by drugs. Previously, these powers dealt specifically with alcohol-impaired driving.
If a driver suspected of driving while impaired by drugs refuses or fails the sobriety test, their driver’s licence is immediately suspended for seven days. If the driver is then charged under the Criminal Code, they receive a 24-hour suspension, followed by a 90-day ban on driving.
The need for new tools to help combat drug-impaired driving was discussed during an impaired driving summit hosted by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal in February. The summit brought together representatives of the RCMP, municipal police forces, MADD Canada and local chapters, Addiction Services, and the Department of Environment, Labour and Justice.
“We heard clearly from law enforcement that drug abuse and driving has become a serious problem in Prince Edward Island,” said the minister. “I’m confident these changes, as well as those introduced last year to toughen penalties for drunk drivers, will help keep Island roads safer.”