Drive around your community and you’ll see indications that the festive season will soon be upon us - big red bows or wreaths on doors and lights twinkling in the dark. Another sign of the holidays is the flashing lights of a Checkstop.

"The purpose of the Checkstop program is to act as a visible deterrent to impaired driving, both from a prevention and enforcement standpoint," says Jeanette Espie, executive director of Alberta Transportation’s Office of Traffic Safety. "The program is also intended to educate the public of the dangers and consequences of drinking and driving. Impaired driving is a serious crime that has serious consequences."

Alberta police services operate Checkstop on a year-round basis. In addition to the normal police patrol activity designed to get the drinking driver off the road, enforcement agencies across the province set up check points on streets or highways where vehicles can be stopped at random without interfering with other traffic. Checkstop locations are changed frequently and seldom operate in one area for more than a few hours at a time. If the police believe that a driver is impaired by alcohol, they can request the driver take a breath test.

AALS gets impaired drivers off the roads - faster, longer

The Alberta Administrative Licence Suspension (AALS) Program is tough legislation to keep impaired drivers off Alberta’s roads. Under the AALS program, the consequences are:

1. An automatic three-month suspension if you are charged with having a breath or blood sample over .08, or refusing a demand for a breath or blood sample; or
2. An automatic six-month suspension if your actions caused bodily harm or death.

If you have a valid Alberta driver's licence, a 21-day temporary permit is granted before the suspension begins. This provides time for you to get your affairs in order before the suspension begins.

Appeals will only be considered if you:

1. Can prove you did not produce a breath or blood sample that was over .08; or
2. Can prove you did not refuse a demand to supply a breath or blood sample.

A serious crime with serious consequences

If you are convicted of impaired driving the consequences are:

• heavy fines
• a criminal record
• an immediate AALS suspension
• the loss of your licence for a minimum of one year
• significantly higher automobile insurance costs
• possible jail terms

First time offenders face the humiliation of being arrested, possible legal expenses, fees and alternate transportation costs. Second time offenders receive a three-year licence suspension and third time offenders receive a five-year licence suspension. Drivers convicted of impaired driving causing injury or death receive a mandatory five-year licence suspension.

Make smart choices

There are alternatives to drinking and driving. Some obvious options are designating a driver, taking a cab or using public transit. If you socialize at private homes, licensed establishments or special events, the key is to plan your outing ahead of time. If you don’t plan to take a cab:

• Decide who will not drink any alcoholic beverages before and during an outing and designate that person as the driver.
• Designate more than one driver for larger groups.

"Allow everyone to get home safely by making the smart choice æ don’t drink and drive," reinforces Espie. "An impaired driving conviction is one gift you don’t want to receive this season."

What to do if you suspect a driver is impaired

If you suspect a motorist is driving while impaired, you can report the incident by calling the complaint phone lines for the following jurisdictions:

If you are in an area patrolled by the RCMP, you can report the incident by safely pulling off to the side of the road and use your cellular phone. Ask the operator to connect you to the nearest RCMP detachment.

What the police need to respond to a call
When you contact the police have the following information ready:

• The location and direction of travel of the dangerous or suspected impaired driver and the time of your observation.
• The licence plate number, car make and model, color and any other information you can provide about the vehicle.
• A description of the driver.
• Your present location.

For information about AALS, impaired driving or traffic safety, please contact the Office of Traffic Safety at (780) 422-8839.

For more information, please contact:

For toll-free calls, first dial 310-0000.