The Problem

Drinking driving puts an enormous strain on our judicial system. Approximately one quarter of all trials in BC Provincial Court are for impaired driving. One third of all impaired driving cases result in a trial being scheduled or held as compared to about 6% of all other criminal cases combined.

Drinking and driving in BC

According to a recent Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) study, almost nine out of 10 British Columbians (more than in any other region in Canada) see drinking and driving as a serious problem. And yet, in the same study, the highest rate of drinking and driving is reported in BC where almost one in five admits to driving after drinking.

A 2003 BC government discussion paper estimates that at least 2.5 million trips are made annually in BC by drivers with a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) over the legal limit of .08.

Who drinks and drives?

You may be surprised to learn that the majority of people who drink and drive have not previously been convicted or prohibited from driving for a drinking driving offence. A 2003 TIRF study identifies the following typical characteristics for those who report driving after drinking:

• males
• ages 25 to 34
• single, divorced or separated
• drink more frequently and in larger quantities
• have received a previous traffic ticket
• drive greater distances

Not surprisingly, drinking driving occurs more frequently at night, on weekends and in the spring and summer months.

Who is at risk?

• Those with even small amounts of alcohol in the blood — The increased risk of drinking and driving begins at blood alcohol content (BAC) levels well below the legal limit of .08. Even after one or two drinks containing alcohol, drivers more than double their risk of being in a fatal crash.
• Those who consume over the legal limit — The risk of a fatal crash increases dramatically as the amount of alcohol in the blood increases.
• Young drivers who drink and drive — The combination of driver inexperience with drinking inexperience is a deadly mix that all too often results in tragedy.
• Problem drinkers — Those who drive with high BACs may be problem drinkers. They are overrepresented among BC’s driver fatalities.

The costs of impaired driving

The costs associated with impaired driving are enormous — there are both societal and individual costs and impacts.

Drinking drivers put themselves and their loved ones at risk. They put their passengers and other road users at risk of serious injury or death. And, the pain to the drinking driver’s family is very real when you consider that drinking drivers also risk:

• being prohibited from driving
• fines and Penalty Point Premiums (a premium based on the number of points recorded against your driver’s licence — paid separately from your vehicle insurance premium)
• being charged and convicted under the Criminal Code of Canada
• a jail sentance
• being in breach of their automobile insurance. This means that if you are convicted of impaired driving and you have a crash, ICBC will not pay the cost of repairing your vehicle and can require you to pay back all costs — including any victim’s claims
• being unable to hold certain jobs or be bonded
• difficulties in travelling to other countries

More information on the penalties for impaired driving can be found in What the Law Says.

The societal costs of drinking driving are also staggering. These costs include: the health care costs for injured drivers, passengers and other road users; the costs associated with enforcement and court time; as well as the loss in terms of human productivity for those injured and killed as a result of drinking driving crashes.

• The Problem
• Protect Yourself
• Protect Your Loved Ones
• What's Being Done? What's Not?
• What the Law Says
• Links and Resources