How Drunk Driving Lawyers in Edmonton Can Help Your Case
If you’re dealing with a DUI charge or an IRS sanction, the consequences can seem intimidating. Possible repercussions include paying hefty fines, car impoundment, suspension of your driver’s licence, and further criminal charges. While charged drivers may be feeling frustrated, know that you have rights.
Once a charge takes place, it is important to appeal your case as soon as possible. Under Alberta law, there are deadlines to dispute your sentence. Not meeting these timeframes can lead to irreversible changes in your records and indicate submission.
For individuals who require assistance understanding the complex legal landscape, you may want to contact a drunk driving lawyer to navigate, appeal, and represent on your behalf. At Martin G. Schulz & Associates, our team of drunk driving and traffic lawyers in Edmonton are well-equipped with the proper resources, backed by decades of experience, to fight for your rights every step of the way.
Updates to Impaired Driving Law in Alberta
Since 2020, impaired driving laws (under Bill 21) in Alberta have called for stricter control and regulations, introduced as the Immediate Roadside Sanction (IRS) program. To improve road and public safety, some of these measures include revoking driving privileges, such as:
- Increased vehicle seizure duration
- Additional fines
- Zero-tolerance laws for drugs and alcohol, applicable to commercial drivers
- Additional consequences for repeat offenders (licence suspension, ignition interlock, remedial programs)
What is IRS (Immediate Roadside Sanction)?
Under the suspicion that a driver meets the blood alcohol concentration range (BAC) of 50-80 mg/100mL, a police or peace officer could impose restrictions on the spot. Consequences that could take effect immediately include fines, impounding of your motor vehicle, and driver’s licence suspension.
What is Considered Impaired Driving?
It is critical to know that IRS sanctions are not restricted to a driver at the time of driving. In Alberta, individuals who stop driving or are no longer operating a motor vehicle could still face consequences, granted it falls within a 2 hour period of operation. As long as an individual exceeds the blood alcohol concentration legal limits, an IRS sanction could apply. This is applicable to the presence of alcohol, drugs, or any combination thereof.
Navigating Impaired Driving Charges
Under the current regulations, a driver who is suspected of driving under the influence could be issued a sanction. This means that drivers who are below the BAC limit or do not have the presence of drugs or alcohol in their system could still receive impaired driving offences, in the case that they refuse to take a breath sample. Refusal to comply could lead to criminal offence and associated penalties.
What Are My Rights?
In Alberta, it is important to know that a police officer is required to provide reasonable grounds for pulling over or stopping your vehicle in the first place. Examples can be irregular driving, speeding past a red light, or passing sobriety checkpoints. Drivers who are issued an IRS or charged with a DUI could also seek the help of a lawyer to dispute or represent them in a case.
How to Fight a DUI
When charged with a DUI, it is critical that you do not plead guilty by default. Doing so can have irreversible and long-term consequences, some of which include travel restrictions, loss of employment opportunities, driver’s licence suspensions, and even jail time. To ensure you have a strong defence for your case, hiring drunk driving lawyers in Edmonton to fight for your case will increase your chances of winning.
Edmonton Drunk Driving Lawyers
To assist with your IRS or DUI, contacting a team of expert drunk driving lawyers in Edmonton will be beneficial to understanding the legal repercussions and options your case presents. There are many technical implications involved in an impaired driving case and getting a lawyer to represent you can help reduce or remove your penalties altogether.
At Martin G. Schulz & Associates, our impaired driving lawyers will look at your specific circumstance and situation to craft a legal solution that works for you, even in instances where a charge has been established. Our Edmonton criminal lawyers will assess if proper procedures were followed through at the time your vehicle was stopped. If need be, we will investigate and collect the necessary documentation or evidence required to support your case. Call us at (780) 490-1100 to guide you through the legal process today.