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Police can demand a breath sample from any driver they lawfully stop starting tomorrow

Stricter drunk driving laws take effect in Canada on Tuesday.

New legislation now gives police officers the right to demand a breath sample from any driver they stop lawfully.

Up until now, they needed to have reasonable suspicion a person had been drinking to request a breath sample.

<who>Photo Credit: ICBC

The new law was passed in June and it also bumps up the maximum penalties for many alcohol-impaired driving offences to 10 years from five.

It’s hoped that the law will curb injuries and deaths related to drunk driving, which claims nearly four lives a day on average in Canada.

<who>Photo Credit: Canadian Press

Mandatory alcohol screening is in place in more than 40 countries, including Australia, France, Germany, Ireland and Sweden.

In Canada, it’s a criminal offence to drive with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher.

You can also receive a roadside driving prohibition if you are caught driving with a blood-alcohol concentration between 0.05 and 0.08.

With files from the Canadian Press.



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