Pubdate: Wed, 04 Jan 2006
Source: Red Deer Express (CN AB)
Copyright: 2006 Red Deer Express
Contact:  http://www.reddeerexpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2920
Author: Mark Weber

DRUGGED DRIVERS A CONCERN

Red Deer police have an escalating battle on their hands with more
drivers hitting the roads high on street drugs.

With the flurry of New Year's celebrations this past weekend, RCMP
boosted CheckStops through the region over the weekend.

But drunk driving arrests -- which are increasing in Red Deer -- is
only part of the problem, said Sgt. Bob Bell, head of the traffic
section for Red Deer city RCMP.

Bell said more drivers are getting behind the wheel after engaging in
drug use, including smoking marijuana, doing crystal meth and cocaine.

And while it's not a new problem for police on the west coast, it's
getting much worse here in Red Deer and across the province, he said.

With impaired charges hitting 480 in 2005 (that's up dramatically from
240 in 2002), it is a disturbing turn in what already appears a losing
battle in keeping intoxicated people off the road.

"You think you see a light at the end of the tunnel, but the tunnel is
really getting darker," said Bell, adding police are also finding more
drug paraphernalia in pulled-over vehicles.

"It's certainly an issue in Red Deer, and will be for the foreseeable
future."

Blood tests show how affected some motorists are -- Bell said at times
drivers have cocaine, marijuana and alcohol in their systems and still
insist on driving.

It adds an increasingly deadly dimension to the ongoing battle against
drunk driving, he said.

The unknowns about how much street drugs it takes to affect a given
driver are also uncertain, he said.

People tend to seriously underestimate the profound influence drugs
and alcohol have on their driving skills.

"Other than by a drug test, you can't pinpoint how affected a person
is by a given drug.

"How many drinks, how much marijuana smoking or drugs can that
oncoming driver do and still stay on his side of the road? The only
thing between you and him is a painted line."

Bell said education and public awareness are essential, but more
enforcement is critical as is training for local RCMP in the
increasingly complex field of drug sobriety testing.

With tight resources, the fight against drunk driving itself poses a
steadily growing challenge, he said.

Last year, 106 Albertans were killed and another 1,844 injured in
collisions involving alcohol offences.

The more severe the collision, the more likely alcohol was
involved.

And the message doesn't seem to be getting through to those most
likely to offend. Men ages 18 to 24 were more likely to have consumed
alcohol prior to a casualty collision than any other age group.

Failing a breath test results in an immediate licence
suspension.

First time offenders land a one-year license suspension; second time
offenders a three-year licence suspension and third time offenders a
five-year suspension on conviction.

A person can be charged with having care and control of a motor
vehicle while impaired. This means the person has the ability to set
the car in motion -- whether they are in the car sleeping or simply
unlocking the door
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake