Penalties for Impaired Driving in Ontario

Impaired driving is one of the most common reasons for getting arrested in Ontario. With this said, even though impaired driving is a common offence, it is still a very serious charge that can affect one’s life for a long time after conviction. Below are the penalties for impaired driving in Ontario.

Impaired Driving in Ontario

The penalties for impaired driving in Ontario vary depending on the circumstances of the offence. If someone has a previous conviction of a DUI or impaired driving, then they generally will face more penalties.

A conviction of impaired driving could lead to:

• Losing your driver’s license
• Having your vehicle impounded
• Paying a significant administrative or monetary penalty
• Having to attend rehabilitation or educational program
• Paying a fine
• Needing to install an ignition interlock device to drive a vehicle
• Having to serve jail time
• Getting a mark on your criminal record

Canada’s Impaired Driving Laws

Impaired driving penalties and fines in Canada are based on the charge and offence. A repeat offender will face longer jail time, more penalties, and greater fines. There would also be additional penalties based on provincial impaired driving laws.

Some of the impaired driving penalties are outlined by the Department of Justice in the Criminal Code of Canada as follows.

For alcohol impaired-driving wherein the driver has over 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100ML of blood that was measured within two hours of driving, the penalties are as follows:

• First offence will pay $1000 as a mandatory fine plus face a maximum of 10 years imprisonment
• Second offence will have a minimum of 30 days imprisonment up to a maximum of 10 years
• Third offence will have a mandatory 120 days of minimal imprisonment and up to a maximum of 10 years

For drug-impaired driving were in the accused has had 5 milligrams or more of GHB per one litre of blood within two hours of driving, has any detectable level of LSD, PCP, cocaine, ketamine, psilocin, psilocybin, 6-mam, or methamphetamines within two hours of driving, or having 5ng or more of THC per millilitre of blood within two hours of driving, the penalties are as follows:

• First offence will pay $1000 as a mandatory minimum fine plus a maximum 10 years of imprisonment
• Second offence will face a maximum of 10 years imprisonment with a minimum of 30 days
• Third offence will have a maximum of 10 years imprisonment and face a mandatory minimum of 120 days of the same

Note that the above are just some of the penalties for impaired driving in Canada. The penalties will be harsher for people who were found to be under the influence of both drugs and alcohol. The penalties are also harsher for people who refused to comply with giving a sample or for people who are facing a summary conviction.

Some impaired driving penalties can truly follow someone throughout the rest of their life, which is why it is important to avoid conviction through a good impaired driving defence. A seasoned impaired driving lawyer will know what defence tactics to use to minimize the effects of an impaired driving charge on someone’s life. If you’re looking for an impaired driving lawyer in Toronto, then look no further than Calvin Barry Professional Corporation. Contact us today.