How do Police catch drunk drivers in Ontario?

This article covers the 6 most common ways how the Police catch drunk drivers in Ontario.

1/ Someone called the police 



- The most common way people get caught driving drunk is when someone calls the Police on them.

- For example, they may have seen you consume alcohol or drugs and then get into a vehicle.

- Or, they may be driving and see you drive erratically.

- Or, a fast food employee serves you in a drive-through and believes you are impaired.

- Calls to the police don't just come from people you don't know.

- It’s common for family members and friends to call the police if they believe you are drunk.

- When the police in Ontario get a call about a potentially impaired driver, these calls are treated with high urgency, and the police usually respond very quickly.



2/ DUI Checkpoints



- In Ontario, it’s common to see DUI checkpoints at various locations when you are driving.

- These DUI checkpoints are often referred to as part of the RIDE program.

- RIDE stands for Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere.  

- RIDE started as a test in 1977 and has expanded across Ontario.

- And the reason the RIDE program has been running for decades is that it is successful in catching drunk drivers.



3/ Police waiting outside a bar



- The police often catch drunk drivers by simply waiting in a parking lot near a bar.

- The police will park their car and simply wait.

- And unfortunately, it's a numbers game.

- The more people there are in a bar, the more likely there will be someone that consumes too much alcohol and then gets in their car to drive.



4/ At the scene of an accident



- There are many Impaired Driving charges laid as a result of an accident.

- The common scenario is that the police are called to the scene of a traffic accident.

- The police observe behaviour which would indicate a possible impaired driving situation.

- In these cases, the police will ask the suspect to take a roadside breathalyzer test.

- In some cases, the police will skip the roadside test and arrest the driver to conduct a more detailed breath test at the station.



5/ Traffic violation



- Another scenario where we often see people charged with Impaired Driving is when someone is pulled over for a traffic offence.

- For example, someone may be speeding, run a red light or get pulled over for using their mobile phone while driving.

- And when the police interact with the driver, they realize they are drunk and then place them under arrest.



6/ Reporting on yourself



- Believe it or not, there are cases where people who are impaired will call the police to report themselves.

- These are usually younger people who, while operating a vehicle, realize they are too impaired to drive.

- They will call the police because they believe “they are doing the right thing.”

- Or, they may call an ambulance because they are scared for their health.

- While these people may believe “they are doing the right thing,” this action will result in getting charged with a DUI.



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