ALCOHOL OR DRUGS IS
Zero Tolerance Penalties for Young and Novice Drivers No drugs or alcohol permitted for drivers 21 and under and anyone with G1, G2, M1 or M2 driver licence. First Time 3-DAY Second Time 7-DAY Third Time 30-DAY 30-day licence, on conviction $60-$500 fine, on conviction $250 penalty 90-day licence on conviction for G1, G2, M1,M2 drivers or 30 day for fully licenced drivers 21and under $60-$500 fine, on conviction Education or program $350 penalty NOTE: Young and novice drivers with higher impairment levels still face all of the consequences of fully licensed drivers. Cancellation for G1, G2, M1, M2 drivers or 30-day licence for fully licenced drivers 21 and under, on conviction $60-$500 fine, on conviction Education or program Ignition interlock for six months $450 penalty
Warn Range Penalties for All Drivers With a Blood Alcohol Concentration between.05 -.08 (alcohol only) Who fail the Standard Field Sobriety Test (alcohol and/or drugs) First Time 3-DAY Second Time 7-DAY Third Time 30-DAY $250 penalty Education or Program $350 penalty Education or Program Ignition Interlock for six months $450 penalty Plan ahead make sure you always have a plan to get home safely.
Impairment Penalties for All Drivers With Blood Alcohol Concentration over.08 (alcohol only) Fail or refuse to comply with a demand for alcohol or drug testing Who fail test by Drug Recognition Expert (drugs or a combination of drugs and alcohol) First Time Second Time Third Time IMMEDIATE 90-DAY SUSPENSION 7-day Vehicle Impoundment $550 penalty 7-day Vehicle Impoundment Education and Program $550 penalty 7-day Vehicle Impoundment Education and Program Ignition Interlock for six months $550 penalty Additional consequences under the Criminal Code of Canada may apply.
IS JUDGEMENT RESPONSE TIME ABILITY TO DRIVE SAFELY For more information about driving safety, contact: MTO Info General Inquiry: 1-800-268-4686 or (416) 235-4686 in GTA TTY Users: 1-866-471-8929 or (905) 704-2426 in Niagara Website: Ontario.ca/DriveSober January 2019
Impaired driving hurts us all through deaths, injuries and property damage, as well as costs for health care and emergency response services. Driving impaired by alcohol, drugs or both is dangerous and against the law in Ontario. There are serious consequences: Immediate driver licence or even cancellation Immediate vehicle impoundment Fines and penalties Criminal record Alcohol and drug education or treatment program Ignition interlock device Increased insurance premiums Jail time An impaired driving conviction could cost $23,000 or more.
Most Ontario Drivers Are Not Impaired 85% Ontario s 2017 roadside survey found over 85% of drivers were drug and alcohol free. 90% Nine-out-of-ten drivers in grades 10-12 reported they did not use cannabis before driving in the past year. Source: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Driving on Drugs or Alcohol is Dangerous 52% In 2015, 52% of Ontario drivers who died in collisions had drugs and/or alcohol in their system. Source: Office of the Chief Coroner
Every year, almost 11,000 drivers in Ontario are suspended for Criminal Code convictions related to impaired driving. Drivers impaired by DRUGS face the same consequences as drivers impaired by ALCOHOL. This includes cannabis and other legal and illegal drugs and misuse of prescriptions or over-the-counter medications. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about side effects related to driving when using prescription medication. Read the information on the package of any prescription drugs or over-the-counter medicine, including natural, allergy and cold remedies. Drugs and alcohol together can impair your driving even more than either one alone. Unpaid Driver Fines if you have unpaid driver fines, your driver s licence will be suspended and may be cancelled. You will be unable to renew your plates. For more information or to pay your fines, visit ServiceOntario.ca/payfines.
S AND S DRIVING (ALCOHOL OR DRUGS) 01 It s safe to drive when I m high on cannabis. 02 A drink is a drink - for both men and women. 03 It s my medicine, so it s ok for me to take when driving. 04 05 Caffeine or food helps you sober up. I m a better, less aggressive driver when I m high. Research shows that driving a vehicle while high on cannabis doubles your risk of being in a collision. Gender, weight, age, mood and what you ate impacts how alcohol affects a person. Impaired is impaired, regardless of whether it is a prescribed medication, cannabis or another drug. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if you are unsure how your medication could impair your driving. There are no tricks to speed up elimination of alcohol only time will help you sober up. Any substance that changes your mental state and provides a high, decreases driving performance by decreasing awareness of distance, timing and depth perception. 06 07 08 09 10 Police can t tell if I ve been smoking cannabis or doing other drugs. Using eye drops, mints and cologne will mask cannabis use. Using cannabis edibles is the same as smoking or vaping. Guests have been drinking and using drugs at my party, but once they leave it s not my problem. Using cannabis and alcohol together is the same as having a couple of drinks. Police utilize a 12-step process to detect the presence of drugs. Police examine the size of pupils and eye movement, that cannot be masked. The eyes give you away. Edibles can take longer for their effects to be felt and can lead to consuming higher doses, with unexpected side effects like severe anxiety, paranoia, fatigue etc.. If your guests leave your home and drive while impaired, you can be held responsible if they injure themselves or someone else. When taken together, cannabis and alcohol can result in unpredictable reactions increasing your risk of collisions. NOTE: this information is only a guide. For official content, please refer to the Highway Traffic Act at Ontario.ca/Laws or visit Ontario.ca/DriveSober.