Police presence ramps up on Nelson's roads
By Nelson Daily Editor
By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily
Tis the season.
And because it is the Christmas season, the campaign to curb and deter drinking and driving on Nelson roads has begun.
The Nelson Police Department is launching the CounterAttack Drinking and Driving campaign Friday for the month of December and this year the consequences are severe, immediate and begin right at the roadside, said NPD chief constable Dan Maluta.
If someone has been drinking and are stopped on the roadside by NPD officers, they will be required to give a breath sample.
If the result is “warn,” and it is the first offence, that person will receive an immediate three-day driving ban, a $200 fine, a possible three-day vehicle impoundment and a $250 driver’s licence reinstatement fee — adding up to at least $600 in fines.
“The message we want out there is that drinking and driving is never an option,” chief Maluta said.
Times and locations of the stop checks will vary, he said. On some nights there will be officers stationed on all of the arterial routes leaving the city to help keep the highways clear of drunk drivers.
A second offence will result in a driving ban for seven days, a $300 fine and a possible vehicle impoundment — with fines totaling around $760.
A third offence comes with a 30-day driving ban, a $400 fine, a 30-day vehicle impoundment, enrolment in the Responsible Driving program, an ignition interlock installed for one year and a $250 driver’s licence reinstatement fee — costing around $3,960 in fines.
If your breath sample is a “fail” you can expect to face a 90-day driving ban, a $500 fine, a $250 reinstatement fee, a 30-day vehicle impoundment, enrolment in the Responsible Driver’s Program, and an ignition interlock installed for one year.
This will cost at least $4,060 in fines and carry with it the possibility of criminal charges.
