A new impaired driving law took effect Tuesday, December 18.

Mandatory Alcohol Screening, or MAS, means officers are now able to demand a breathalyzer test from any driver who's pulled over for violating traffic laws or going through a check stop.

This means police can demand a breath sample from a driver immediately with no requirement to have reasonable grounds of suspicion the driver is impaired.

Under the old law, officers needed to have reasonable grounds to believe a driver was impaired to demand they take a breathalyzer test.

With the new law if you're pulled over in a check stop, you will be asked to provide a breath sample.

If you refuse police will ask again.

If you refuse a second time you risk the possibility of your vehcile being seized, arrest and fines of up to $2,000.

The test is administered in your vehicle and takes about 30 seconds.

On Saturday, December 1, Alberta RCMP took part in a nationwide Impaired Driving Enforcement Day.

Nearly 12,000 cars were checked, leading to 23 charges of impaired driving due to alcohol and two impaired driving charges due to drugs.

 

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