THUNDER BAY – Last year Thunder Bay saw a record-breaking volume of impaired driving incidents, and police are afraid that that may not be an anomaly, but instead a sad new normal for the city.
That’s according to updated statistics from the Thunder Bay Police Service’s Traffic Unit, which show the number of impaired driving charges laid by officers in 2021 is nearly on pace to repeat 2020’s record-breaking year.
In 2020, TBPS officers laid 299 charges related to impaired driving incidents, 95 more than the 204 recorded in 2019.
As of Nov. 24 of this year, police had laid 220 charges related to impaired driving.
Of the 220 charges laid, 102 have been drivers impaired by drug and eight involved impaired motorists who refused to provide breath samples.
By Nov. 24 of 2020, police had recorded 112 impaired by drug incidents. In 2019 that number was 29.
“In thunder Bay we’re almost 50/50, we’re higher in the province for impaired by drug drivers unfortunately, but in thunder bay we see an almost 50/50 split of impaired by drug versus impaired by alcohol,” said Sal Carchidi, acting sergeant with the TBPS Traffic Unit.
“In relation to the drugs, I think the opioid crisis obviously extends to that. The people addicted to these drugs need to traverse and unfortunately they don’t choose the safe means of doing so. So their addiction clouds their judgment and allows them to drive.”
The TBPS Traffic Unit revealed these new statistics during the 2021 Festive RIDE official media launch which was held on Nov. 26. The event featured the season’s first Festive RIDE spot check and included members of the OPP and the Anishinabek Police service.
Police would like to remind the public that officers have the tools and training to detect and arrest impaired drivers including approved screening devices and approved drug screening equipment.
Police are trained in detecting impaired driving, administering sobriety tests for both alcohol and drugs, as well as court-recognized drug recognition experts to determine impairment.
Motorists with a blood alcohol concentration of 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood (0.08) or higher, impaired by drug determined by DRE or a refusal will be met with an immediate 90-day licence suspension and seven-day vehicle impoundment.
Upon conviction, penalties for a first offence is a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000-to-$2,500 (based on BAC). A second offence is a mandatory minimum of 30-days imprisonment, and a third, or more, offence is a mandatory minimum of 120 days imprisonment.
While law enforcement will increase its efforts to combat incidents of impaired driving during the Festive RIDE season, the enforcement of impaired driving remains ongoing throughout the year.
“I think that’s always a common situation within the holiday season. We have to get the message out though, is that the people have to make these decisions prior to going out and having fun or drinking that sort of thing.” Said Mike Golding,
“Make the decision while you’re still able to make a conscious correct decision not to put yourself in a position to be under the influence and make a poor decision.”
The Thunder Bay Police Service would like to thank all motorists who choose to drive sober, free of distraction and safe.
