British Columbia has a decriminalized option for impaired driving. Sounds like a good idea? Not really. Criminal Code sentences are imposed by the police officer at the roadside. Fail a roadside screening and instead of having it confirmed by a more accurate breathalyzer and being entitled to a trial the cop will impound your vehicle for 30 days, impose a $500 fine and prohibit you from driving for 90 days. To get your license back, after paying $680 to get your car back, you will have to pay $250 re-instatement fee, take a Responsible Driver Program ($996) and install an ignition interlock device ($1,700). No trial. The Officer is now investigator, detainer, fact finder, judge, jury and instant executioner. Expect this to come to Ontario if the Supreme Court doesn’t strike this down.
B.C. moves to eliminate court trials for traffic violations.