In the News

Most Canadians Endorse Random Breath Testing: Survey
By Helena Zhu
Epoch Times Staff
June 9, 2010

VANCOUVER—More than three quarters of Canadians support random breath tests as a way to combat impaired driving, according to a recent national survey.

Commissioned by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada, the survey shows that 98 percent of Canadians think impaired driving is an important issue, 77 percent support random breath testing (RBT), 79 percent agree that RBT is a reasonable intrusion on drivers, and 75 percent agree that police have the right to randomly test drivers’ breath.

“These results indicate the strong level of concern that Canadians have about impaired driving and the need to address the problem,” MADD national president Margaret Miller said in a press release.

RBT is in effect in many Western countries where it has dramatically decreased alcohol-related crashes, deaths, and injuries. In Ireland, RBT reduced annual road fatalities by 19 percent in its first year, according to MADD.

In 2007, MADD estimates that 1,239 Canadians were killed and 73,120 injured in alcohol-related crashes.

“If we take an average of the crash reductions seen in other countries with RBT and estimate a 22 percent crash reduction in Canada, that is 273 lives saved and more than 16,000 injuries prevented,” said Miller.

In June 2009, a report by Canada’s House of Commons Standing Committee of Justice and Human Rights recommended enacting RBT legislation. The federal Justice Ministry is currently considering RBT and other measures for updating the nation’s impaired driving provisions.

“The federal government has studied it, it’s recommended it... so we’re hoping that sometime this fall the federal government will introduce it,” said MADD CEO Andrew Murie in an interview.
“Literally it’ll save hundreds of lives and avoid thousands of injuries the first year it’s implemented here in Canada.”

Contrary to what some civil liberties groups believe, said Murie, random breath testing does not violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

“The courts have been really clear to say that because of the high death rate and injury rate, the government has the right to regulate driving and put certain precautions in place to protect the public,” he said.

“We feel very clearly [that RBT] falls within that framework, because the intrusion we are asking for, you know, is a simple breath test on the roadside. If you haven’t been drinking, you have no fears whatsoever.”

While several provinces are looking at cracking down more on impaired drivers, Murie said new legislation proposed in B.C. is the strongest. It includes escalating licence suspensions, vehicle impoundments, remedial education programs, alcohol ignition interlocks, and fines for drivers who get behind the wheel with a blood alcohol level of 0.05 percent or higher.

In a tragic case currently before the court in Surrey, B.C., a woman is charged with impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving following an accident in which she hit and killed four-year-old Alexa Middelaer in May 2008.

Carol Berner is also charged with impaired driving causing bodily harm and dangerous driving in relation to Alexa’s aunt, Daphne Johnson, who was seriously injured. Johnson and her niece had stopped to pat a horse on the shoulder of the road when Berner lost control of her Oldsmobile and ploughed into them.