The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Flin Flon RCMP are nabbing more impaired drivers in a trend that has caught the attention of police and civic leaders alike. The RCMP are on pace to lay 76 impaired-related charges in 2011, a 43 per cent jump from the 53 charges pressed in 2010. "I think a lot of it has to do with [police] being more effective," said Sgt. Nolan Suss, adding that he does not believe there is a "big spike" in the actual number of drunk drivers. But police are concerned by what they see as a "comfort level" in Flin Flon when it comes to underage drinking and alcohol consumption in general. Sgt. Suss said some of the young drivers who are pulled over for being impaired have "incredibly high" blood-alcohol levels for their age. Tim Babcock, who at 31 is by far the youngest member of Flin Flon City Council, is taking notice. At last week's council meeting, he shared police statistics showing a 25 per cent jump in impaired-related charges between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011. "I want to commend the RCMP on their efforts last year to curb drinking and driving," he said. Not speculating In a subsequent interview, Babcock could not speculate as to whether the trend stems from more drunk drivers or a more concerted effort by Mounties. "But it definitely shows that people are still drinking and driving and trying to get away with it," he said. Babcock encourages people to take steps to ensure they are not going behind the wheel while impaired. "If you know you're going to be out drinking, make sure you have a pre-planned ride home before you find yourself in a situation that might be difficult," he said. "A $20 cab ride makes more sense than thousands of dollars in fines and court fees and impound fees, not to mention the other non-monetary costs that are associated with drinking and driving, not the least of which would be the loss of human life." See 'Harsh...' on pg. 5 Continued from pg. 1 Both Babcock and Sgt. Suss made note of the punishments doled out to drunk drivers in Manitoba, which is considered among the toughest provinces when it comes to impaired driving. The Manitoba Justice website outlines those penalties, including: Police can immediately suspend a driver's license for 24 hours if he or she fails or refuses a field sobriety test or breathalyzer, or has a blood-alcohol level of .05 or more. Two or more 24-hour suspensions in a three-year period requires a driver to take an impaired driver's assessment at his or her own expense. If a driver's blood alcohol concentration is .08 or more, he or she will immediately receive a three-month licence suspension, with the vehicle impounded for at least 30 days. ÊIn addition to such immediate consequences, a driver can be charged with criminal offences such as driving while impaired or impaired driving causing bodily harm or death. Drivers convicted of driving while impaired, driving with a blood-alcohol level over .08 or breathalyzer refusal may receive a minimum $1,000 fine, a jail sentence of 30 days or a minimum one-year driving prohibition for a first conviction, among other punishments. In some circumstances, vehicle forfeiture is a consequence that impaired drivers face. Babcock hopes public awareness around the fact that "police are out there doing their job every night," as well as the penalties associated with impaired driving, will deter this behaviour.11/4/11
