SAAQ - Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec Alcohol, Drugs, and Driving Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 20-year-old driver with a probationary licence is pulled over at a roadside check. They have had one standard glass of wine with dinner. What is the immediate consequence under Quebec's Highway Safety Code?
- A verbal warning and they are allowed to continue driving.
- A 7-day licence suspension and a small fine.
- An immediate 90-day licence suspension, 4 demerit points, and a fine. (Correct answer)
- They must wait until their blood alcohol level is zero before driving again.
Correct answer: An immediate 90-day licence suspension, 4 demerit points, and a fine.
Quebec has a zero-alcohol rule for all new drivers (learner's or probationary licence) and any driver under the age of 22. Any detectable amount of alcohol results in severe penalties, including an immediate 90-day licence suspension, 4 demerit points, and a fine ranging from $300 to $600.
Question 2: Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding driving and cannabis use in Quebec?
- It is legal to drive if the cannabis was prescribed for therapeutic purposes.
- Police officers can only test for cannabis impairment at a police station.
- Driving with a detectable amount of cannabis in your saliva is prohibited. (Correct answer)
- Passengers are permitted to smoke cannabis in a moving vehicle.
Correct answer: Driving with a detectable amount of cannabis in your saliva is prohibited.
Quebec has a zero-tolerance policy for drugs, including cannabis, for all drivers. The law prohibits driving a vehicle with a detectable presence of cannabis or other specified drugs in one's saliva. Police can use roadside saliva tests or physical coordination tests to detect drug-impaired drivers.
Question 3: A driver is convicted of their first criminal impaired driving offence with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 100 mg/100 ml (0.10). Which of the following is a guaranteed penalty?
- A mandatory lifetime driving prohibition.
- Community service and a mandatory awareness course.
- A permanent seizure of the vehicle.
- A minimum one-year driving prohibition and a criminal record. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A minimum one-year driving prohibition and a criminal record.
A first criminal conviction for impaired driving in Quebec results in several serious penalties. These include a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000, a prohibition from driving for at least one year, and a criminal record.
Question 4: If a police officer has reasonable grounds to believe a driver is impaired, what can happen if the driver refuses to provide a breath sample without a reasonable excuse?
- The driver will receive the same, or more severe, penalties as for driving with a high BAC. (Correct answer)
- The driver is given a 24-hour licence suspension and can then leave.
- The driver can ask to speak to a lawyer before deciding whether to comply.
- The driver will be issued a fine, but no criminal charges will be laid.
Correct answer: The driver will receive the same, or more severe, penalties as for driving with a high BAC.
Refusing to comply with a police officer's demand for a breath or saliva sample without a reasonable excuse is a criminal offence. The penalties for refusal are equivalent to, and can sometimes be more severe than, those for driving with a high blood alcohol concentration (over 0.16), including immediate licence suspension, vehicle impoundment, and criminal charges.
Question 5: A driver is found asleep in the driver's seat of their parked car with the keys in the ignition, and their BAC is over the legal limit. According to Quebec law, this driver could be charged with:
- Illegal parking.
- Public intoxication.
- Having care or control of a vehicle while impaired. (Correct answer)
- No offence, as the vehicle was not in motion.
Correct answer: Having care or control of a vehicle while impaired.
The law prohibits not only driving while impaired but also having 'care or control' of a vehicle. This can include being in the driver's seat with the ability to start the vehicle, even if it's not moving. The potential to set the vehicle in motion is sufficient for charges to be laid.
Question 6: What is the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for a fully licensed driver aged 25 in Quebec?
- 0.00 (zero tolerance)
- 0.05 (50 mg/100 ml)
- 0.08 (80 mg/100 ml) (Correct answer)
- 0.10 (100 mg/100 ml)
Correct answer: 0.08 (80 mg/100 ml)
For fully licensed drivers aged 22 and over in Quebec, it is a criminal offence to drive with a blood alcohol concentration equal to or over 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood (0.08). However, drivers can still face immediate penalties under the Highway Safety Code with a BAC between 0.05 and 0.08.
SAAQ - Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec Alcohol, Drugs, and Driving Questions and Answers 1
A 20-year-old driver with a probationary licence is pulled over at a roadside check.
They have had one standard glass of wine with dinner.
What is the immediate consequence under Quebec's Highway Safety Code?