Drive Sober, Boat Sober or lose your licence

TORONTO, July 1 /CNW/ - arrive alive DRIVE SOBER(R) is reminding drivers to review the penalties, costs and consequences for impaired driving and for operating a vessel impaired. Surveys conducted by arrive alive over the last nine years have found that the public are often unaware of the penalties - both provincial and national:

    
    -   Drivers are immediately suspended from driving at .05 - .08 for 3 to
        30 days (effective May 1st 2009)

    -   You can be charged with impaired driving irrespective of your blood
        alcohol content

    -   Drivers charged criminally with "over .08" lose their licence
        immediately for 90 days (and soon will also lose their vehicle for
        7 days)

    -   A first-time impaired driving conviction will cost a driver more than
        $20,000 for fines, fees, education, insurance, legal costs, etc. in
        order to drive again

    -   "Ignition interlock" is condition of driver licence reinstatement
        even for a first-time offender

    -   Impaired boaters lose their driver's licence and face all the
        consequences for impaired driving

    -   Repeat drunk drivers can have their vehicle forfeited in Ontario

    -   The maximum penalty for impaired driving causing death is life in
        prison
    

Students and volunteers from arrive alive DRIVE SOBER have been sharing materials for almost two months gearing up for summer and will attend the York Region Marine Safety day on Saturday July 3rd. In its 22nd year of sharing information, arrive alive DRIVE SOBER(R) released new PSAs and an "Arrive Alive App" to help people get home safely. Visit www.arrivealive.org to find out more.

For further information: Anne Leonard, 416-578-4829