This is a nice start but I think the drinking and driving laws are still way to lax. For a first offense this may be enough, but for those who get caught the second time or are drivng with suspended licence need a much bigger wakening up.

I can only imagine the whining by speeders who lose their vehicle..
I am sure it will be the police officer's fault.

BCRacer... there are studies that show one to two drinks actually make drivers more cautious and that they are not impaired. It isn't the people who responsibly drink a beer at dinner and drive home who are wrapping their cars around telephone poles. This law is ridiculous.

Problem is,what the Campbell government has really done is to make the cops(like ICBC),judge and jury.
It will also eliminate court cases because most people cannot afford to go to court to fight anything.
And don't think this government isn't well aware of that!
Nobody disputes that we need tough drinking and driving laws,damn tough,but this is a money grab in more ways than one.
Same with the new speeding legislation...excessive and overkill.
There are better ways to control speeding that don't pay quite as much.
This IS about the money!

Porter, I would be curious to actually see that study, because generally speaking alcohol in any amount does not highten your awarness, it lessens it.

I agree that these new drinking and driving laws are not tough enough.

But I guess it is a step in the right direction.

Unfortunately even though it is a step in the right direction it is still going to be years until these laws are visited once again and made even tougher.

The government is not going to touch this law for a loooong time now.

"Nobody disputes that we need tough drinking and driving laws,damn tough,but this is a money grab in more ways than one."

Only if you drink and drive and get caught will they grab big bucks from you, Andy!

"Same with the new speeding legislation...excessive and overkill.
There are better ways to control speeding that don't pay quite as much."

Please Andy contact Bond or Bell with your ideas about the better ways you know how to control speeding! You owe it to society that you share that information a.s.a.p.

"This IS about the money!"

It is about saving lives and making the highways safer for everyone, imho.

De Jong said these laws are the toughest in the country. Spin, spin, spin.

Here are the laws for young drivers in Ontario.

http://www.tbnewswatch.com/news/103313/Province-showing-zero-tolerance-to-young-drivers-

"On Aug. 1, drivers 21 years old and younger who consumed any amount of alcohol can no longer drive a vehicle no matter what license they have. Under the new strict drinking and driving provision, drivers could receive an immediate 24-hour license suspension, a 30-day license suspension, or a fine of up to $500."

Sorry Porter, I don't agree. I never said the so called RESPONSIBLE drivers are causing the problems... it is the people who drink and drive that are the problem...That is why we have designated drivers and if you change around when you go out for supper and drinks then no one gets in trouble.

Be thankful you don't live in South America or Turkey , they have a permanent cure for drunk drivers.... rehabilitation guaranteed, no repeat offenders.... though I don't think we need to go quite to that extent. YET!

If you are talking about the death penalty for impaired driving in those contries then you are wrong - kind of an old wives tale... However some countries are awfully strict compared to us. How about Malaya, if a man is caught driving drunk he is jailed. If he is married, his wife is jailed too. Can you imagine how THAT dinner conversation would go once you were both home again? :-)

Death penalty? well if they kill someone while driving impared, I think that might be a good thought...ask anyone who has had loved ones killed or seriously injured and I am sure they too would think it a good idea....
But I am not quite that harsh, but close..

Better reinstate Prohibition!!

I phoned a local towing company to ask if they were notified by Victoria about the potential increase in impounded vehicles. The lady I talked to didn't know anything about it. No memo from the Attorney General. Storage fees on top of the fines and the rest of the costs? Some one other than the government is gonna make a buck. Where to put these impounded vehicles for their extended stay? To the drivers driveway with a promise to the cop? Secure compound to ensure no vandalism or theft? 24/7 guard house occupied by a ten dollar an hour teenager? Special zoning fer impound lots? City hall better get on that. Spare the details , folks. Who needs 'em?

BCRacer ....

"Be thankful you don't live in South America or Turkey , they have a permanent cure for drunk drivers.... rehabilitation guaranteed, no repeat offenders.... though I don't think we need to go quite to that extent. YET!"

You don't really believe that stupidity, do you?

Do a bit of research.

Turkey had the death penalty (not for drunk driving, possibly for killing someone as a drunk driver) before they joined he European Union. One of the conditions of joining was the removal of the death penalty.

In the case of South America, it is not a country. It is a continent with 18 or so countries. None have the death penalty for drunk driving.

Also, Amnesty International would be watching for that sort of punishment.

Anyone who has a problem with the high fines and impounding of vehicles has an immediate remedy. Do not drive after drinking. I am confident in that "sure cure".

For those who prefer to find out the hard way just how much they can drink before exceeding the blood alcohol or breathalyser limit, my advice is to set up a "fines and alternate transportation" account to match their drinks account. They will very likely need it.

Too many bodies have been mangled and lives lost to idiots who "could handle it" feeling that their wish to speed excessively or to drink and drive exceeds everyone else's right to safety on the roads.

So far this is a good beginning, but we still have a lot to learn from Switzerland.

Anyone who has a problem with the high fines and impounding of vehicles has an immediate remedy. Do not drive after drinking. I am confident in that "sure cure".

For those who prefer to find out the hard way just how much they can drink before exceeding the blood alcohol or breathalyser limit, my advice is to set up a "fines and alternate transportation" account to match their drinks account. They will very likely need it.

Too many bodies have been mangled and lives lost to idiots who "could handle it" feeling that their wish to speed excessively or to drink and drive exceeds everyone else's right to safety on the roads.

So far this is a good beginning, but we still have a lot to learn from Switzerland.