Committee recommends more police power, tougher penalties for repeat offenders
In a move to address the problem of drunk drivers, a parliamentary committee has advised that police officers be given the authority to randomly conduct breath tests. Currently, the law stipulates that police cannot check the condition of the driver unless they suspect the driver is drunk. Committee chairman Ed Fast maintains that random testing is the most “effective deterrent” available to police. The MPs recommended tougher penalties for repeat offenders and drivers who are found with a blood-alcohol level of 0.16. The committee seriously considered lowering the blood-alcohol limit from 0.08 to 0.05, but didn’t because of excess administrative costs that would overburden police and prosecutors.