Most people associate impaired driving with alcohol. When it comes to catching drunk drivers, the police have many tools at their disposal, from field sobriety tests to breathalyzers. Although these tools are not always perfect, they are generally recognized as accurate when administered properly and unaffected by factors known to skew the results. Continue reading →

In June 2015, federal lawmakers introduced a bill that, if passed, would make several major changes to driving-related offences. The proposed law, called the “Dangerous and Impaired Driving Act,” (“the Act”) would also repeal certain sections of the Criminal Code and replace them with new provisions. Continue reading →

Can a Canadian citizen be extradited to another country for committing a crime there? The answer is yes. Unlike many other countries, who only permit extradition of non-citizens, Canada allows extradition of Canadians to foreign states, such as the U.S. – but only in cases where Canada maintains an extradition treaty with that country. Continue reading →

At one point during the recent tragic encounter between Sandra Bland and trooper Brian Encinia in Texas during a traffic stop that ended with her death in a jail cell, Bland attempts to film the exchange of words between the two of them on her cell phone. Encinia then demands that she “get off the phone.” Bland responds by insisting that she has “a right to record,” After Encinia yells, “PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN!” multiple times as the tension escalates, Bland eventually complies. Continue reading →

If you’ve been pulled over for suspicion of impaired driving, be prepared to take some tests. At some point you may be asked to provide breath, blood, or urine samples, but before that happens you will likely face the challenge of what are known as “Standardized Field Sobriety Tests” (SFSTs). You’ve probably seen such tests portrayed in movies of TV shows, with the driver told to touch their nose, recite the alphabet or walk in a straight line. Continue reading →