Ok folks, this is getting out of hand

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT STE MARIE
POLICE SERVICE

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The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service would like to remind motorists not to drink and drive. 

Over the past few weekends there have been a number of persons charged with impaired driving related offences in our community.

Drinking and driving is illegal. 

You are putting your life and the lives of everyone else on the road at risk.

MADD Canada estimates that every year in Canada over 1000 lives are lost and more than 63,000 people injured in collisions involving a driver who has been drinking.

Did you know that drivers who have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08, or who fail to comply with a breath demand, immediately have their vehicle impounded for 7 days? It does not matter if the vehicle is yours or not. 

The owner of the vehicle is also liable for all towing and impoundment fees.

In addition, drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more will automatically receive a 90 day suspension of their drivers licence. 

Your licence will be seized by the arresting officers and handed over the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.

The Sault Ste. Marie Police would like to remind the public that drinking and driving is expensive gamble.

If you are convicted of an impaired related offence consider the following monetary costs:

• Legal fees can range from $2,000 to $10,000
• Criminal Code fine-$1,000
• Back on Track Program-$578 dollars
• Licence Reinstatement fee-$150
• Increased insurance-the estimate is an extra $5,000 per year for three years
• Ignition interlock system-$1,500

The total estimated cost is up to $28,000 (note: numbers provided by the MTO)

Plan ahead, prearrange a ride, party responsibly, don’t even consider drinking and driving.

Not only can it cost you a lot of money, it could cost you your life or that of someone else.

Please consider all other options as there are many.

Riding in the back of a police car in handcuffs as a result of an impaired driving arrest should not be one of them.

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