Tough laws cost drivers - Police seize vehicles

VICTORIA: B.C. drivers caught speeding or drinking and driving are feeling the pinch as the province hits them in the wallet and takes their keys.
The toughest drinking and driving laws in the country came into effect at Midnight, but lawyers and the b-c civil liberties association say they go too far.
The South Island Integrated Road Safety Unit launched a speeding campaign on the Malahat this afternoon and within minutes they pulled over so many cars -- there was barely room for them at the side of the road.
First, there was a woman who police say was driving her son to university. Police say she was driving 128 in an 80 kilometre zone.
"The sad thing is we see this all the time", says Constable Eric Thompson "The good thing is, the weather today is sunny and the roads are dry. But we even see speeds like this when it pelting with rain".
Two minutes later the team pulls over two more cars, a taxi and a car that police say was tailgating.
"The cars were doing 126 in an 80 zone", says Constable Bima Ribeiro "and that means they were travelling 46 over the limit. Under the new laws their vehicles will be impounded for 7 days".
And for some of the people driving over the Malahat there's also the added cost of renting another car to get home, as far away as Campbell River.
Police say the impoundment will curb speeders and people who drink and drive.
The drivers who had their cars seized on the Malahat are not happy with the new laws. They say they are happy to pay the fine, but believe the province is treating them like criminals by impounding their cars.
The B.C. Civil liberties association agrees. It says the new laws remove fair process.
Victoria lawyer Michael Butterfield has no problem with the new laws for speeding, but he says it's inevitable that someone will launch a charter challenge against police acting as judge and jury at the side of the road.
Butterfield says challenging a ticket could cost at least 25 thousand dollars. He suspects those who can't afford a lawyer will pay the fine and live with the loss of their vehicle.
That's what the province is counting on hoping drivers will get the message and the number of deaths on b-c roads will drop significantly.
Until then, the only people making money appears to be tow truck drivers, taxis picking up drivers stranded on the road, and the province.

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