National Newsletter - Summer 2010

Most Canadians Support Random Breath Testing

More than three quarters of Canadians support random breath testing (RBT) as a tool to reduce impaired driving, according to a survey commissioned by MADD Canada and conducted by
Ipsos Reid.

RBT would give police the authority to demand a roadside breath sample in the absence of any obvious signs of intoxication. It is currently being considered by the Federal Justice Ministry, along with several other measures to update Canada’s impaired driving provisions.

According to the survey results:

• 98% of Canadians think impaired driving is an important or very important public safety issue.
•  77% supported or somewhat supported RBT.
•  79% strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that RBT is a reasonable intrusion on drivers.
• 75% agreed or somewhat agreed that police should be able to randomly require drivers to give a breath test.

“These results indicate the strong level of concern that Canadians have about impaired driving and the need to address the problem,” said Margaret Miller, MADD Canada National
President. “Random breath testing is a proven effective traffic safety measure which has saved lives and prevented injuries in other countries. It can do the same in Canada.”

The introduction of RBT in other countries has resulted in significant reductions in alcohol-related crashes, deaths and injuries. In Ireland, for example, RBT reduced the total number
of annual road fatalities by 19% in its first year. Earlier results in Queensland found a total fatal crash reduction of 35% between 1988 and 1992.

“In 2007, 1,239 people were killed and 73,120 were injured in alcohol-related crashes,” Mrs. Miller said. “If we take an average of the crash reductions seen in other countries with RBT and
estimate a 22% crash reduction in Canada, that is 273 lives saved and more than 16,000 injuries prevented.”

The poll results provide MADD Canada with a very strong foundation as we continue to promote the traffic safety benefits of RBT and call on the federal government to move forward with
its implementation here in Canada, Mrs. Miller said. The full results are available on the MADD Canada web site at www.madd.ca.

 

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