Drinking and Driving in Alberta
Did you know that people between the ages of 16 and 24 make up 20% of licenced driver, they drive about 20% of the total kilometers driven, but they count for 42% of all alcohol-related crashes in which somebody dies. Everyone knows that drinking and driving is a bad idea.
Play it safe and smart: never drink and drive.
The legal limit for operating (care or control of) a motor vehicle in Alberta is a blood alcohol concentration of .08 (80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood). However, even one drink slows reaction times and impairs coordination. Police routinely issue 24-hour license suspensions for BAC’s of .05, and an impaired driving charge can result even if you BAC is under .08. Novice drivers cannot have any BAC.
Legal Consequences
Your vehicle can be seized or immobilized and if you are convicted of impaired driving with a BAC over .08, it becomes a criminal matter and you will have a criminal record. The minimum penalties for convictions on impaired driving charged in Alberta are:
- First Conviction: minimum fine of $600 dollars (fine increases with BAC), you lose your license for 1-3 years and may spend days in jail.
- Second Conviction: (within 5 years): at least 14 days in jail and you lose your license for 3 to 5 years.
- Third or Subsequent Convictions: 90 days to 5 years in jail and you lose your license from 5 years to a lifetime.
- A conviction of impaired driving causing injury or death carries a mandatory 5 year license suspension.