Road Safety

Police roadblocks get upgrade 

On November 29, the Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau (SPVG) announced that it will proceed differently than in recent years to intercept impaired drivers this holiday season. 

This year, the SPVG will opt for what it calls “flash roadblocks”. The flashpoint has the same purpose as the traditional one and is made possible by the same tools and is characterized by a greater number of police trips throughout the region.

The roadblocks will therefore be shorter in some places, but present in more places, allowing more territory to be covered in a single evening and reducing the predictability of police locations, theoretically allowing for a greater number of offenders to be captured.

In the coming weeks, SPVG police officers will be present throughout the area to carry out flash roadblocks and check the drivers’ abilities.

It should be recalled that, since December 18, 2018, the Criminal Code of Canada stipulates that police officers may order anyone who drives a motor vehicle to immediately provide a breath sample, whether or not they suspect that their faculties are impaired by alcohol, drugs or a combination of the two.

The cost of a first offence is set at a minimum of $1,000, in addition to an immediate suspension of the permit from 24 to 30 days and an automatic seizure of the vehicle for 90 days upon arrest, the creation of a criminal record and a mandatory minimum driving prohibition of one year are also automatic. More severe penalties such as imprisonment may be imposed depending on the situation.

The SPVG also reminds us that “it is an offence to have custody or control of a motor vehicle while impaired, just as it is to drive while impaired. Even if you only want to sleep in your car, you could still be charged under the Criminal Code.

The police encourage people to plan their festive trips. It also encourages having a designated driver in all possible situations. In addition, there are resources such as Operation Red Nose that can help people who do not have a designated driver in their group.