DRUG-IMPAIRED DRIVING ANOTHER DEADLY MIX

Drug-impaired driving is on the rise, both across Canada and in
Belleville - a disturbing and unacceptable trend that's putting
others on our roads at greater risk of injury and death.

A study by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse shows driving under
the influence of marijuana and hashish has more than doubled since
1989. The survey also indicates young males are driving under the
influence of cannabis as often as, or more often than, they drive
under the influence of alcohol.

Although there are no local stats, Belleville police Insp. Merle
Foster says the number of local people driving while under the
influence of marijuana has increased over the past few years. The
problem is, officers don't have the tools when it comes to proving a
driver is high.

It is encouraging, however, that the government has recognized the
seriousness of the issue.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper introduced legislation in the fall to
amend the Criminal Code to crack down on stoned drivers with heavier
fines and jail terms.

Under the new bill, the minimum fine for a first offence of either
drug-or alcohol-impaired driving would be $1,000 rather than the
current $600. A second offence would bring a mandatory 30 days in
jail rather than 14, a third offence 120 days rather than 90.

In the worst cases, the maximum sentence would be life in prison for
impaired driving causing death and 10 years for causing bodily harm.

The changes will also give police new powers to apprehend and test
drivers suspected of being impaired by drugs, increase penalties,
make it harder to challenge breathalyzer tests in court and promote
awareness of the problem.

This is a good start to give police the type of power they have been
asking for for years. But, as we noted above, these changes won't
help police to apprehend offending drivers.

Currently, the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluation, which is
used in the United States at a more than 90 per cent effectiveness
rate, can only be administered by police in Canada if the driver
volunteers, which is ridiculous.

While the test is not scientific - officers are trained to recognize
symptoms of a particular drug - it is currently the best way police
have to nab offenders.

The government must put legislation in place to let police administer
the test when they observe some of the tell-tale signs of drug use -
everything from erratic driving to odours emanating from the vehicle
to the driver's behaviour or appearance - and not leave it up to
drivers to volunteer to take part.

Meantime, more must be done to discover a fail-safe scientific test
for police to administer - just as a breathalyzer currently works for
measuring the level of alcohol in a person's blood.

Furthermore, the senior levels of government must invest more money
in education. Because the younger generation is the biggest offender,
it is important to reach youth with the message before they are old
enough to drive.

Schools, to their credit, already have programs such as VIP and DARE
which warn youngsters about the dangers of drinking and drugs, but
more focus should be placed on drug-impaired driving.

The message also should be reinforced during driver's training -
before teens get out on the roads - that using drugs before getting
behind the wheel is just as socially unacceptable and just as
dangerous as driving drunk.