According to an impaired driving lawyer Toronto, impaired driving laws apply to operators of all motor vehicles, including vessel and aircraft equipment. A motor vehicle is any motorized machine, and this includes golf carts, lawn tractors, motor scooters and ATVs.
The impaired driving offense applies to operating and also taking care of these machines. During maintenance, you could be charged with an impaired driving offense if you attempted or did an act that could start the machine’s motion. If you happen to be found on the driver’s seat, impaired driving lawyer Toronto says, it is assumed that you were ready to start motion unless you deny that was not your intention.
- Main Impaired Driving Offenses
- Operating or taking care of a motor vehicle while one is intoxicated
It is against the law to drive, take care or control a motor vehicle when intoxicated. The person could be under the influence of a drug or alcohol. The amount of alcohol or drugs the person has consumed also matters. If the person’s blood is found with a specific concentration of drugs in their system, they could be charged with impaired driving.
- Taking control or operating a motor vehicle with an alcohol concentration of more than 0.8% in their blood
This offense is based only on the blood-alcohol concentration in the individual’s body. Any individual with more than 0.8% BAC in their body is not allowed to operate a vehicle. It does not matter if they are driving safely or acting sober. Impaired driving lawyer Toronto will be keen to note this.
- Controlling a motor vehicle while having any level of a prohibited drug in their body system
There are specific drugs that the federal government wholly prohibited to any individual operating a machine. The driver or controller should not have any amount of cocaine and LSD in their blood. For cannabis, there are certain levels that the individual should not exceed.
- Causing bodily harm or death to other people while committing an impaired driving offense
There is a severe penalty for individuals who cause bodily harm or death to other people while committing an impaired driving offense. They could crash into another person’s car while under the influence of a drug, causing the other person to be injured or die.
- Failing to give a sample for testing without any valid reason
The law states that drivers should agree to give out samples for testing and participate in any other tests required. “Unless the driver has a valid reason for failing to give out the sample, this can be treated as a criminal offense”, says an impaired driving lawyer Toronto. The samples can be in the form of breath, urine, saliva, or blood.
- Penalties for Impaired Driving
There are severe penalties that individuals can suffer from these offenses. The sentences are more intense for repeating offenders. They can also be prohibited from operating machines for a period.
