ALCOHOL ISN'T THE ONLY SUBSTANCE THAT IMPAIRS

There has been alot of advertising against drinking and driving,
specifically, but how much advertising has there been about driving
under the influence of drugs? According to Constable Deanna Alford,
not much.

"Since there is already a difference between the two advertising
campaigns, the perception of the two tends to be different," said Alford.

A police officer will enter into an impaired driving investigation the
same way whether it's impairment by drugs, alcohol, or sleep
deprivation.

Depending on what information the officer gathers during the
investigation, such as the smell of drugs, empty beer bottles, or
other signs of impairment, an officer may then enter into a more
specialized investigation, such as impairment by drugs.

Not only have illegal drugs like marijuana and crack cocaine been a
source of impairment, but the use of prescription drugs have also been
a contributor.

All prescription drugs will indicate side-effects such as dizziness
and drowsiness, and consuming alcohol in any degree will worsen the
side-effects.

"It's the common sense thing," said Alford. "If it impairs the driver
in any way, it should stop the responsible driver from operating a
motor vehicle. Whether it's drugs, alcohol, sleep-deprivation, or even
things like emotional stress."

Not all drugs will impair you, however, she continued.

For instance, if a prescription drug is simply used for pain
management and does not impair your ability to drive in any way, it is
then acceptable to operate a motor vehicle.

A common indicator of impairment is erratic driving, which can be
witnessed by anyone at any time.

The dramatic increase in cellphone users in the last few years has
raised the number of complaints towards possible-impaired drivers.

However, simply observing erratic driving will not allow you to know
what type of impairment is involved until an investigation has been
made.

The RCMP in Hinton responds to every single complaint for exactly this
reason.

After an investigation, an officer may warrant a 24-hour
disqualification for anything resulting in impaired driving.

The officer will then take your licence which you will not be able to
get back until 24-hours later.

If you are caught driving before you have obtained your licence again,
you will be adhered to more severe penalty, such as a three or six
month suspension.

"There is nothing acceptable about being impaired," sad Alford
forcefully.

Her goal, and the goal of other officers like her, is to raise
awareness on the issue of impaired driving.

To report an impaired driver, always call 9-1-1.