FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, December 7, 2018 4:15pm
(Ottawa) – This holiday season, the Ottawa Police Service is stepping up its RIDE programs and reminding drivers to celebrate responsibly.
Impaired driving – whether by consuming alcohol, cannabis or drugs – is completely preventable and illegal.
If you are going to be consuming alcohol or cannabis, choose an alternative to driving to ensure you get home safe. Take a bus, a taxi, an Uber or have a designated driver.
Ottawa Police has over 290 Standard Field Sobriety Test officers and 28 Drug Recognition Experts, many of whom will be on hand at RIDE programs to assess signs of impairment by drugs like cannabis.
Mandatory Alcohol Screening:
As of December 18, 2018, Mandatory Alcohol Screening comes into effect in Canada under the Criminal Code. This allows for officers to conduct mandatory roadside alcohol breath tests on drivers they pull over and on drivers during a RIDE check, without requiring reasonable suspicion that the person has been drinking.
Learn more here about changes under Part 2: Alcohol-impaired driving legislation.
- 30 -
CONTACT:
Media Relations Section
Tel: 613-236-1222, ext. 5366