At a Glance / Aperçu

Drunk drivers cause more deaths than murderers

Canadian Medical Association Journal 1996; 155: 436

The Canada Safety Council says 20% to 40% of impaired-driving charges are dismissed or reduced even though drunk drivers kill more than twice as many Canadians as murderers, and has called for a review of the drinking and driving sections of the Criminal Code. The council says about half of the 3260 fatalities on Canadian roads in 1994 were alcohol related, accounting for 1600 deaths and nearly 60 000 injuries. The same year, police laid more than 87 800 charges for impaired driving, a substantial proportion of which were stayed or dismissed on technicalities.

"Defence lawyers are having a field day with a law where new twists are created weekly," the council said. "It is almost impossible for the police to comply with all the procedures and technicalities they must follow. This troubling situation means, much to the disgust and chagrin of both the public and police, more plea bargains are being struck."

| CMAJ August 15, 1996 (vol 155, no 4) |