New Brunswick adjusts immediate roadside licence suspensions

New Brunswick has made amendments to its impaired driving laws.

The province of New Brunswick has made some changes to how it handles immediate roadside suspensions less then a year into the new legislation.

The changes follow a court decision from Sept. 22, that clarified the application of the new impaired driving laws.

Changes to the province’s Motor Vehicle Act began on Jan. 1 and give police discretion to issue a roadside suspension or lay criminal charges for those who fail a roadside test. Previously, police could only lay criminal charges, sending drivers through a lengthy process in the province’s clogged court system.

New guidelines have been put in place to make sure all documents submitted by an officer are correctly executed, as required under the legislation. It will also ensure drivers are given fair and transparent process while keeping impaired drivers off New Brunswick roads.

“We thank the court for clarifying the law,” said Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin in a press release. “Police and the Registrar of Motor Vehicles have already applied the lessons from the decision to strengthen fairness in the review process while continuing to protect the public.”

As part of the change, the registrar has overturned a number of suspensions under appeal. Since Sept. 22, the province has been working to return licences to suspended drivers.

New cases will be tried under the revised procedures. “The objective has always been to reduce impaired driving and ease pressure on the courts,” Gauvin says.

“That objective is working, with 596 roadside suspensions issued since Jan. 1 and those cases no longer proceeding through the courts.”

The province says it is committed to monitoring the program and will make further improvements/adjustments as need to ensure a fair and effective system.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.