New Brunswick to issue roadside suspensions for impaired driving starting Jan. 1

Motorists in New Brunswick will be subject to stiff new penalties for impaired driving beginning Jan. 1.

Changes to the province’s Motor Vehicle Act give police discretion to issue an immediate roadside suspension to impaired drivers, or to lay charges under the Criminal Code.

Previously, police could only lay criminal charges, sending drivers through a lengthy process in the province’s clogged court system.

Under the new rules, people with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or above, or who refuse to give a breath sample, will get an immediate three-month licence suspension.

They will also have their vehicle impounded for at least 30 days, and will have to equip their car with a device for 12 months that prevents the engine from starting until they produce a breath sample that meets guidelines.

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Drivers with a blood alcohol level between 0.05 and 0.08 will get an immediate seven-day licence suspension and have their vehicle impounded for at least three days.

The legislative changes were introduced by the former Progressive Conservative government last spring and are modelled after similar measures in Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30, 2024.