New Brunswick Government Looks To Ignition Locks Against Drunk Driving

The provincial government has introduced amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act that will strengthen the ability to identify and deter alcohol-impaired driving.

“Impaired driving is one of the leading causes of preventable fatalities on New Brunswick highways,” said Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Stephen Horsman. “These are strict measures but I feel that they are necessary to make our highways safer and reduce preventable fatalities and injuries.”

Once the amendments pass in the new year, they will include:

• extending the look-back period for a driver’s abstract from seven years to 10 years;
• recording short-term licence suspensions on the driver’s abstract;
• modifying the current short-term license suspension to provide for escalating sanctions;
• increasing the driver’s licence reinstatement fees;
• creating a vehicle impoundment program for impaired drivers;
• introducing a mandatory alcohol ignition interlock device program; and
• creating a 24-hour roadside suspension for driver unfitness, providing law enforcement the authority to temporarily remove drivers from the road.

The amendments were developed following consultations, a review of best practices and consideration of recommendations from stakeholders.

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