Impaired drivers have become even more likely to be caught during Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) spot checks, which Greater Sudbury Police are ramping up this year.
In 2022, 7,010 vehicles were checked as part of the RIDE program, resulting in 37 impaired driving charges laid.
Last year, 7,870 vehicles were checked, resulting in a disproportionate 72 impaired charges laid.
During Wednesday’s police board meeting, Deputy Chief Natalie Hiltz said it’s difficult to say why there was such a difference in impaired driving charges between the two years, and it’s unclear whether it’s a sign there were more impaired drivers on the streets.
After the meeting, Insp. Marc Brunette told Sudbury.com that it’s likely a sign that fewer motorists have been getting away with driving while intoxicated.
“It’s like anything else,” he said. “The more effort we put into an enforcement campaign the more we’re likely to uncover.”
More police officers have received specialized training on standard field sobriety testing, including the use of screening devices (breathalyzers), which police have stocked up on.
“Last year we’ve now equipped every officer to at any given time hit the road with their cruiser, portable radio, use-of-force option and screening device,” he said.
A few years ago, federal legislation was introduced which allowed police officers to conduct alcohol screening without cause. Prior to that, a motorist would need to exhibit slurred speech, alcohol on their breath or another such sign of impairment.
This mandatory alcohol screening allowance has been an integral piece to enforcement, Brunette said.
“Research has told us we will reduce impaired driving by 20 per cent,” he said, later clarifying that impaired driving prevalence is “very difficult to measure, because you don’t know what you don’t know. Because we are now requesting motorists to engage in mandatory alcohol screening, we are uncovering drivers we otherwise would not have.
When there are signs of drug intoxication, officers turn suspects over to drug recognition experts.
While the number of impaired charges laid during RIDE spot checks spiked in 2023, it could reach even greater heights in 2024 due to GSPS expanding the program.
Spot checks are slated to take place throughout the year, whereas past years only saw them take place from November to March.
So far this year, 1,057 vehicles have been checked during RIDE spot checks, and 20 impaired driving charges have been laid.
Everyone seems keen on upping the effort, Brunette said, noting there has been healthy uptake among patrol operations to support traffic management, while Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Safe Ride Home Sudbury remain supportive partners.
Meanwhile, Brunette said members of the public have also been lending a hand.
“The public does not hesitate at all any more to call us,” he said. “We know that drinking and driving, operating under the influence of alcohol and drugs, has devastating impacts on our community, has devastating, long-lasting impacts on families — both charged persons and victims.”
There’s an exemption in the Highway Traffic Act that allows people to use their phones to dial 911 in emergency situations, and suspected cases of impaired driving are considered emergencies.
That said, Brunette clarified that this should only be done when it is safe to do so and the preferred action is to safely pull over before picking up a phone.
Greater Sudbury Police laid 286 impaired driving charges in 2023, including 218 related to alcohol and 68 were drug-related. There were also 20 people who refused impaired driving screening. Charges were laid following a motor vehicle collision in 54 of the 286 impaired driving cases.
In 2022, 268 impaired driving charges were laid, including 190 related to alcohol and 78 to drugs. There were also 24 refusals.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
