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.
Flin Flon RCMP Staff Sgt. Len Hordijk believes local roads will be safer with legislation allowing police to administer roadside tests for suspected drug-impaired drivers. The Canadian Press reported last week that the Manitoba government plans to amend the Highway Traffic Act to allow police to administer the tests and remove drivers from the road if they fail. "I think it's a positive step because our roads are becoming more and more dangerous with the increase in traffic," said Staff Sgt. Hordijk. "I think that impairment of any type is a hazard not only for the driver, but also for any other drivers who come in contact with him or her." Because police do not currently administer such tests, Staff Sgt. Hordijk said it's difficult to know how common drug-impaired drivers are in the local area. "We know there is a fair amount of drugs in the community, so I would expect that there certainly would be people driving under the influence of drugs," he said. Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh told the Canadian Press that the planned amendments are "overdue" and that "police need legal tools to detect, apprehend and charge" drug-impaired drivers. See 'Drivers' P.# Con't from P.# CP stated that drivers who fail the tests under the planned changes will have their licenses suspended for at least 24 hours and may have their vehicles impounded for up to one month. Mackintosh told CP that the planned amendments are still being finalized but should be in place by spring. The Web site for Citizens Against Drug Impaired Drivers, a North American lobby group, states that drugs Ñ both legal and illegal Ñ may cause the following reactions for drivers: Slow reaction time. Alteration of depth perception. Hyperactivity from a high. Reduction of peripheral vision. Confusion. Drowsiness. Lack of awareness of surroundings.
