In the News

Alberta gets poor reviews in recent MADD report
CTV Edmonton
December 2, 2009

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) says Alberta has done very little to strengthen its impaired driving laws in the past three years.

In a 2009 report, MADD did an assessment of provincial and territorial progress towards reducing impaired driving, and found Alberta, along with Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan and the Yukon have not taken enough meaningful steps to reduce drunk driving.

"We need to be treating drunk driving as the serious cause that it is," said Louise Knox, MADD Canada's chapter services manager for western provinces. "In 2008, (Alberta) was at 107 alcohol-related deaths. The public isn't getting it".

MADD reported that Alberta scored well for its 90-day administrative licence suspension, and relatively well for its interlock and vehicle impounding programs, but scored poorly for its low minimum driving age, which is currently 14, the lowest in Canada.

The group recommends Alberta increase the minimum age of licensed driving on public roads to 16.

Statistics have shown that impaired driving continues to take a heavy toll on Canada's youth. In 2006, alcohol was a factor in 39.9 per cent of total traffic fatalities among 16 to 19-year-olds.

"We have seen progress in certain areas, and some jurisdictions have shown a strong commitment to making legislative changes that will reduce impaired driving," said Andrew Murie MADD Canada's Chief Executive Officer. "We encourage the jurisdictions which have not made meaningful changes to follow the leadership example being set by the provinces at the head of the class."

The report stated that Ontario ranked first among all provinces and territories for its impaired driving laws. Alberta came in sixth in the rankings.

MADD's Rating the Provinces and Territories Report began more than 10 years ago as a way to start up a conversation with provincial and territorial governments on the critical role MADD believes they play in reducing impaired driving.

Also see...

Rating the Provinces