Driver Licensing > Consequences of Unsafe Driving
Impaired Driving - Consequences
There are several penalties for driving any vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Zero blood alcohol concentration restriction - Novice drivers who violate the zero blood alcohol concentration restriction (less than .05) will:
- Receive an immediate 24-hour roadside suspension.
- Be required to attend a Show Cause Hearing with DI&C to determine further sanctions.
Tiered Administrative Licence Suspensions - Drivers operating a motorized vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration between .05 and .08 or who fail a physical coordination test are subject to an immediate Tiered Administrative Licence Suspension. Tiered Administrative Licence Suspensions are progressively longer suspensions ranging from 24 hours to 60 days depending on how many previous suspensions have been issued to the driver within a 10-year period.
Drivers receiving two or more suspensions within a 10-year period are also required to complete an Impaired Driver Assessment* at the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba at their own expense.
Drivers who receive a Tiered Administrative Licence Suspension may also be subject to a Driver Improvement and Control intervention which could range from a warning letter to a Show Cause Hearing, at which time a further driver licence suspension would be considered.
Three-month Administrative Licence Suspension - Drivers found with a blood alcohol concentration over .08, who refuse to provide a breath or blood sample, or who refuse to perform a physical coordination test or follow a police officer’s instructions regarding the test, will receive an immediate three-month Administrative Licence Suspension.
Additional consequences may include:
- Being charged under the Criminal Code of Canada.
- Vehicle impoundment (except special mobile machines).
- A mandatory Impaired Driver Assessment* at your expense.
- A driver’s licence reinstatement charge.
- Losing your vehicle permanently if you cause an accident that kills or physically harms someone, even if it’s a first offence.
- Participating in Manitoba’s Ignition Interlock Program.
*Mandatory Impaired Driver Assessment
An assessment of your alcohol or drug use from the AFM Impaired Drivers' Program is required after an alcohol or drug related suspension. You will be required to sign a release authorizing the AFM to access your driving record. A copy of the assessment is sent to Manitoba Public Insurance's Alcohol and Drug Program.
You may be referred to an educational workshop, a risk reduction program or an AFM treatment program. You may also lose your licence and be disqualified from driving until your alcohol or drug use is under control.
For further information on driver licence suspensions, contact one of the following locations:
| Brandon | (204) 729-9487 | |
| Dauphin | (204) 622-2783 | |
| Portage la Prairie | (204) 856-2624 | |
| Thompson | (204) 677-1421 | |
| Winnipeg | (204) 985-0980 | |
| Toll-Free | (866) 323-0543 |
For more information on appeals, contact the Licence Suspension Appeal Board in Winnipeg at (204) 945-7350.
To make an appointment for an Impaired Driver Assessment, contact the nearest Addictions Foundation of Manitoba office:
| Brandon | (204) 729-3838 | |
| Dauphin | (204) 622-2021 | |
| Flin Flon | (204) 687-1770 | |
| The Pas | (204) 627-8140 | |
| Thompson | (204) 677-7300 | |
| Winnipeg | (204) 944-6290 |
