Manitoba drivers could face lifetime suspensions for multiple impaired-driving offences

The Manitoba government is looking to bring in tougher penalties on people who are convicted of impaired driving offences that cause injury or death.

A bill currently before the legislature would impose a lifetime licence suspension on a driver convicted of two such offences within a 10-year period.

That’s an increase from the current 10-year suspension for a second offence. Currently, a driver convicted for the first time gets a five-year automatic licence suspension.

The proposed amendments to the Highway Traffic Act would also prohibit people convicted of these offences from driving with any alcohol in their blood for seven years after a first offence. A second conviction would carry a lifetime prohibition.

The bill was introduced on Thursday, the last sitting day of the fall legislature session, and is expected to be debated in the spring.

The legislature is scheduled to reconvene on March 5.