March 25, 2003

Majority of Canadians want legal limit for drinking drivers lowered

Three in four Canadians want to see the current blood alcohol limit (BAC) for impaired driving law be reduced and a vast majority of Canadians (83%) feel MADD Canada's suggested 0.05% BAC is either about right or not low enough.

In a recent phone survey, Canadians were asked whether they supported or opposed a movement 'to change the laws so that people will not be able to drink as much and legally drive.' A majority -- 62% of Canadians strongly supported lowering the BAC, while another 11% somewhat supported the action. There were 12% of Canadians who strongly opposed the suggestion and another 7% who somewhat opposed it. (6% of Canadians were neither approving or opposing the lowering the BAC, and 2% were unsure.)

When asked whether they supported the MADD Canada suggestion of lowering the BAC to a specific limit that would allow a 200 lb man to drink 4 drinks in 2 hours, or a 140 lb woman to drink 2 drinks in 2 hours, 46% of those surveyed thought the MADD Canada limit was 'about right', while 37% of Canadians thought the limit should be lower. Only 10% of Canadians felt the limit should be higher.

"This poll validates what we are hearing everyday at MADD Canada," says Louise Knox, National President. "People know we need more effective laws to ensure our roads are safe from those drinking too much and then driving. Many Canadians believe what our organization supports - and that if you are going to drive, don't drink or plan another for another mode of transportation."

"For me, the poll indicates that the Canadian public is concerned about the large amount a person can drink and drive legally on our roadways. The public has come to the conclusion that the legal BAC limit needs to be lowered far in advance of our elected MPs," says Mrs. Knox.

Andrew Murie, National Executive Director, comments on the questions and the poll findings. "We attempted to put the issue of lowered BAC limits into practical terms, that a person would understand. So, using established toxicological equations, we converted the legal limit to the numbers of drinks a person can consume and then legally drive. I believe when a majority of Canadians realize just how much alcohol can be consumed to reach the legal limit, there is a desire to see this limit reduced."

Mr. Murie states: "The less alcohol a driver drinks, the safer everybody is on the roads. By lowering the BAC, people will drink less before they drive - and our roads will be safer from impaired drivers. Research shows that lowering the BAC will have a significant impact reducing the numbers of Canadians being killed and injured as a result of alcohol-related crashes."

The survey was conducted between February 2 and 11, 2003 by SES Research. A total of 1,000 Canadians across the country were surveyed. The margin of accuracy for these results is 3.1 percentage points, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20.

The survey questions read:

With current Canadian law, a 200 lb man can consume more than 6 drinks in 2 hours, on an empty stomach, and drive without being criminally charged with impaired driving (a 140 lb woman can drink about 3 drinks, in 2 hours, on an empty stomach, and then drive without being criminally charged). There is a current movement to change the laws so that people will not be able to drink as much and legally drive. Do you strongly support, somewhat support, neither support nor oppose, somewhat oppose, strongly oppose the effort to reduce the amount of alcohol a person can consume and then drive without being criminally charged?

MADD Canada is suggesting that the legal limit for a criminal charge of impaired driving be reduced, or in other words that people will not be able to drink as much as they can today and then drive. For example, for a 200 lb man, the limit would be reduced from 6 drinks in 2 hours, to about 4 drinks in 2 hours (for a 140 lb woman, the limit would be reduced from more than 3 drinks in two hours, to 2 drinks in 2 hours). Do you think MADD Canada's suggested limit of 4 drinks in 2 hours is about right? Or do you feel it should be more? Or less?

MADD Canada is currently urging the Federal Government to review impaired driving laws in Canada. It has presented the Government with a list of 19 policy points to improve the detection, apprehension, charging and conviction rates of impaired drivers. Lowering the BAC to a legal limit of 0.05% is one of those policy points in the policy document Taking Back Our Roads. Canadians can learn more about the range of policy points by visiting the MADD Canada website - www.madd.ca

For more information, visit www.madd.ca or call:

Andrew Murie, National Executive Director 1-800-665-6233
Louise Knox, National President (780) 614-9160

Background information:

Detailed Tables - MADD (Canada) National Poll – February 2003