On Saturday, August 13, 2016 at 11:16:06 AM UTC-4, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2016-08-13 10:17 AM, wrote:
>
> > Phew! I didn't know that. The level is very low here and now in
> > addition to roadside checks there are all sorts of PSAs urging people
> > to phone in if they see a driver acting erratically - if they use
> > their mobile it has to be a hands free, not legal any other way.
This is why I say our laws have no teeth:
<http://wtkr.com/2016/08/08/michigan-man-with-12-dui-convictions-charged-in-alleged-drunk-driving-crash-that-killed-12-year-old/>
>
> They get a little carried away with the arbitrary limits. Here in
> Ontario they keep nailing people for driving over the .08 limit so they
> brought in roadside 24 license suspensions for .05, though there is no
> fine for that amount. We had a case a few years ago where a bunch of
> young people sat around a bar drinking all afternoon, got shit faced
> drunk and then drove off and got involved in a multi fatality crash.
> The driver was well over the .08 limit, but the government brought in a
> new law with zero tolerance for alcohol for drivers under the age of 22.
>
> AFAIAC, drivers talking on cell phones and those who are texting are as
> much a hazard to public safety as drunks, and I mean drunks, not those
> who blow a little over the arbitrary limit.
This is the law in Michigan (I find it funny that there's a legal BAC
limit for people who can't buy alcohol. I suppose it's for kids whose
parents give them a glass of wine with dinner or something.):
It is a crime for a driver to have a bodily alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or greater if over age 21 or .02 or greater if under 21. In addition, Michigan has a high-BAC law with enhanced penalties for anyone caught driving with a BAC of .17 or higher. However, drivers can be arrested at any BAC level if they exhibit signs of impairment while operating a motor vehicle.
Drivers with any amount of a Schedule 1 narcotic--such as marijuana, GHB, or heroin--are subject to the same fines and penalties as drunk drivers, even if they show no signs of impairment.
Costs and Consequences of a Drunk Driving Conviction
If BAC is below .17 and this is a first offense:
€˘Up to $500 fine
€˘Up to 93 days in jail
€˘Up to 360 hours of community service
€˘Up to 180 days license suspension
€˘6 points on a driver's license
If BAC is .17 or higher and this is a first offense:
€˘Up to $700 fine
€˘Up to 180 days in jail
€˘Up to 360 hours of community service
€˘Up to one year license suspension
€˘6 points on a driver's license
€˘Mandatory completion of an alcohol treatment program
€˘Ignition interlock use and compliance after 45 days license suspension is required to receive a restricted driver's license. Convicted drunk drivers have limited driving privileges, are prohibited from operating a vehicle without an approved and properly installed ignition interlock device, and are responsible for all installation and upkeep costs for the device.
Anyone who refuses a breath test the first time is given an automatic one-year driver's license suspension. For a second refusal within seven years, the suspension is two years.
Convicted drunk drivers are subject to a $1,000 penalty for two consecutive years under the Driver Responsibility Act, for a total of $2,000 in additional costs.
Cindy Hamilton