Impaired Driving Accidents In Canada

Edited
Should suspected DUI suspects be required to submit blood and saliva sample

Impaired driving accidents are one of the leading criminal causes of death in Canada. In fact, Canada has the highest percentage of deaths caused by alcohol related automobile accidents when compared to other wealthy nations (Quan). In March of 2017, Prime Minister Trudeau announced the introduction of a bill that would legalize recreational use of marijuana to anyone over the age of 18. According to the latest scientific research, the effects of marijuana appears to show an adverse effect on driving performance similar to that of alcohol, while someone who is under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana is more than four times as likely to be involved

in an at-fault collision (Sayer).With such a high number of accidents already attributed to impairment, it is clear that current legislation is not doing enough, and continuing with legalizing marijuana without strengthening DUI laws is not only irresponsible it will be deadly. For that reason, it is my opinion that drivers suspected of having been in contact with either drugs or alcohol must allow immediate collection of saliva sample or be considered automatically guilty of driving under the influence.
One technology that utilizes saliva samples are devices such as Alere, which is a fully automated system currently in use by police departments around the world.

Alere is non-invasive, requires only a small sample taken from subject’s mouth and can accurately detect the presence of up to seven state-altering substances. As part of proposed “impaired driving laws improvement” initiative, Ottawa has announced it will give police access to such devices sometime before marijuana becomes legal. Already, many are heavily opposing new measures and want to know how these devices will react to someone who is a regular marijuana user but is not under the influence at the time of screening. Luckily for those concerned, the saliva sample will only be required if the driver either fails Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) or officer smells the odor of marijuana on the driver. In the unlikely event that officer makes a bad judgment call, drug-detecting devices such as Alere have a relatively short detection window of up to three days. Furthermore, the government has put forth minimum threshold levels that are scientifically designed to target only users who are affected at the time of the test. Lastly, blood samples are taken only in extreme cases where an individual fails all other tests, results of which are used as a determining factor before one is

charged.

Another criticism of new drug screening initiative is the possibility of racial profiling. There is truth to this belief as well as scientific evidence that shows African Americans are indeed more likely to be subjected to police searches. In reality, drug screening may benefit marginalized groups the most. This is because current drug-detecting measures start with SFST and end with driver submitting to an invasive blood sample. It then stands to reason that African Americans are subject to more unnecessary blood tests and personal trauma along the way. With an intermediate standard saliva test, we ease the suffering of not only minorities but of all people wrongly suspected of driving while high.
Finally, equipping police with drug-detecting devices is as much of a defensive tactic as it is an offensive one.

Not only can these devices be used to catch dangerous drivers, but they can also be used to deter impaired drivers from even getting behind the wheel in the first place. Saving lives and making roads safer is an obvious benefit to everybody, but the less obvious benefit would be to the suspect. Identifying impairment may lead to the discovery of an addiction problem and allow officials to help the suspect by matching them with an appropriate drug rehabilitation programs. Another possible side effect of identifying impaired drivers is the possibility of apprehending criminals who would have otherwise been released. Statistics have shown that more than 60% of all dangerous criminals are under the influence at the time of

arrest.
In conclusion, saliva testing and drug-detecting devices that use them are excellent tools and should be given to every police department in Canada. They will not only improve the safety of everyone on the road but also save lives, help those who are struggling with addiction and make it easier for marginalized groups to avoid unnecessary harassment. I hope by the time marijuana gets it legal status, my police department is ready and able to conduct sobriety of not only marijuana users but anyone suspected of using any dangerous substance.