Sask. safe driving advocate encouraged by new impaired driving laws

New driving laws introduced alongside Canada's bill to legalize marijuana are a "tremendous step in the right direction," according to a Saskatchewan safe driving advocate.

Wendell Waldron of MADD says the new laws close loopholes and make it easier for police and the courts to crack down on both drunk and drug-impaired drivers.

"We now have legislation that will allow the police to detect, investigate and most importantly prosecute drug impaired driving. That's what I'm most impressed about. We've given police the tools to do their jobs properly,"Waldronsaid.

JustinTrudeau'sLiberal government introduced sweeping changes to the country's impaired driving laws this week that include mandatoryroad side breathalyzerscreening and laws aimed at cracking down on people who are high behind the wheel.

The new rulescould become law as early as July 2018.

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One of the most significant changes introducedalongside the marijuana legalization bill is the introduction of road-side saliva tests. Drivers suspected of being high will now be forced to provide an "oral fluid sample" to police if they are pulled over on suspicion of driving while high. If that test comes back positive, drivers will have to then submit to furthertestinginlcudingblood teststo see if they are over the legal limit.

We've given police the tools to do their jobs properly- Wendell Waldron, MADD

Waldronsaid those new tools coupled with mandatory road side breathalyzer tests are just what advocacy groups like MADD have been asking for.

"We have updated impaired driving laws that will make a significant improvement, reduction in fatalities and injuries," Waldonsaid.

New offences on the books

Three new drug-related offences will be also be created for drivers who have consumed drugs within two hours of driving. A driver who isfound to have twonanogramsbut less than five nanograms of THC per millilitreof blood could facea maximum fine of up to $1,000 (THC isthe primarypsychoactive found in cannabis).

A driver who has a blood level of more than five nanogramsof THC, or has been drinking alcohol and smoking pot at the same time, will face afineand the possibility of jail time. In more serious cases, a drug-impaired driver could face up to 10 years if convicted.

Drunk driving well documented problem in Sask.

Waldron said while officials already know drugged driving is a problem in provinces like Ontario and British Columbia, it's still unclear how big of a problem driving while high is in Saskatchewan.

But, the fact that the new rules also crack down on drunk driving will be good for Saskatchewan, he said. For example, the new proposed legislation would get rid of loopholes that allow drivers to claim they had just consumed alcohol and therefore were not legally drunk because the booze had not entered their blood stream.

According to MADD, Saskatchewan's DUI fatality rate isthree to five times the national average. On average, one person dies perweek as a result of impaired driving.