DRUG DRIVING IS ON THE RISE

POLICE throughout the North Shore say they are dealing with rising numbers
of drug-impaired motorists.

Officers say increasing numbers of young people are driving after using
drugs, particularly marijuana, and in many cases, young motorists are even
puffing on pot behind the wheel. But many of the drivers involved are not
aware of the dangers they are causing themselves and other road-users, say
police.

Sgt. Bob Fontaine of the West Vancouver Police Department (WVPD) took part
in an ICBC-sponsored CounterAttack roadblock in the Sunset Beach area of the
Sea to Sky Highway between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. on July 13 in which four
drivers received 24-hour suspensions for being impaired by drugs.

"All at once we had four vehicles pulled over," he said. "Each had evidence
of marijuana being smoked inside the vehicle. You could smell it as they
drove up.

"Marijuana alters people's perception of time, depth and speed. ICBC takes
this issue very seriously and trains drug recognition experts."

He said marijuana in amounts ranging from half a gram to four grams was
confiscated from the vehicles. The amounts involved were regarded by
officers as being too small to warrant recommending possession charges.

WVPD Const. Matt Dawson, who is trained in roadside testing techniques to
spot drug-impaired drivers, says increasing numbers of motorists are showing
positive for the presence of marijuana.

"In my opinion, it's as dangerous as driving under the influence of
alcohol," he said. "I have been to road accidents where marijuana has been a
contributing factor.

"There's a cultural thing where people think smoking marijuana before they
drive is not as bad as drinking alcohol, but if a person shows signs they
have been smoking marijuana they should not be driving.

"Marijuana is a stimulant drug which affects many aspects relating to
driving, particularly as it impairs people's ability to divide their
attention. It allows people to concentrate on their speedometer, but not to
concentrate on other things like keeping an eye on traffic that might be
pulling out, or keeping the vehicle between the lines.

"Driving is a multi-tasking activity. It also impairs judgement of time and
distance along with co-ordination and balance."

Dawson said roadside tests can check these abilities. One test, said Dawson,
requires the participant to stand, feet together and hands at their side and
head tilted backwards with eyes closed, estimating when 30 seconds are up.
People under the influence of marijuana display tremors, particularly in the
eye lids, along with a poor ability to judge the passage of time.

"Often there are physical signs, like the person's pupils are dilated," he
said. "Or you can smell them. Their fingers in particular smell of marijuana
or there may be residue of the drug on the back of their tongue."

Const. Marina Wilks of the North Vancouver RCMP said that drug driving is an
increasing issue for police throughout the North Shore.

"Drug-impaired driving is quite common," she said. "Police come across it
quite often in their day-to-day jobs.

"Any responsible driver wants to be completely alert and have their senses
about them.

"When you take a drug that changes the way you think and act, it creates a
danger for other people in the road."

ICBC spokeswoman Elizabeth Goldenshtein said that the CounterAttack program
last year led to 1,016 24-hour suspensions for drug-impaired motorists
throughout the province.

During the same time period, 10,399 motorists received 24-hour suspensions
for being alcohol-impaired, with 741 of these motorists facing criminal
charges.