You are pulled over by the police, and the officer makes you blow into a hand-held breathalyzer. You understand that the officer is conducting a roadside investigation. The officer uses words such as “in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Code” before you blow into the handheld breathalyzer. All of this takes place while […]
Is an IRP a Criminal Offence? Continue Reading »
One of the most common things people say after an IRP or DUI charge is “the reading must have been wrong.” In some cases, they’re right. Breathalyzer devices, including the Approved Screening Devices (ASDs) used at roadside, are not infallible. Understanding how they can fail is important if you’re considering challenging a result. What Is
What If the Breathalyzer Reading Was Wrong? How Approved Screening Devices Fail Continue Reading »
R. v. Singer, 2026 SCC 8 If police have ever shown up at your home in connection with an impaired driving investigation, you may have wondered whether they had the right to be there. Today, the Supreme Court of Canada answered that question and the answer is more complicated than either side wanted. What Happened
Police at Your Door: Know Your Rights After Singer Continue Reading »
This is one of the most common questions people ask after a DUI stop in BC: “Should I just refuse to blow?” The short answer is no. And the longer answer is still no, but it’s worth understanding exactly why. The idea that refusing a breath test somehow helps you is a myth that gets
Should I Blow? What Happens If You Refuse a Breath Test in British Columbia Continue Reading »
Generally speaking, it’s not wise to try and spend your time attempting to devise a way to beat a breathalyzer. If you’ve had enough to drink such that your blood alcohol concentration is over 50 mg in 100 ml, you are not permitted to drive in British Columbia. Still, it seems to be a common
Can your breathing pattern beat a breathalyzer? Continue Reading »
At traffic stops in Canada, one of the most common questions police ask is simple: “Have you had anything to drink tonight?” It sounds conversational but it is not. It is an investigative question, and how you answer it can only make your situation worse. Why This Question Is a Trap There are three common
How to Answer “Have You Had Anything to Drink Tonight?” Continue Reading »
When people are stopped for impaired driving in British Columbia, they almost always turn to Google. That is completely understandable. The problem is that much of what they find is American and American law doesn’t apply in Canada. Good and bad U.S. DUI advice is everywhere. Videos, blog posts, Reddit threads, TikTok clips, and television
Why U.S. DUI Advice Can Ruin a BC Impaired Driving Case Continue Reading »
Circular breathing does not help a person avoid or “beat” a breathalyzer, and it cannot lower a result. Breath-testing laws and device design anticipate unusual breathing patterns, and officers are trained to deal with irregular blows. Circular breathing is a technique musicians use to produce a continuous, unbroken stream of air, allowing them to play
Can Circular Breathing Beat a Breathalyzer? Continue Reading »
Alcohol breath-testing machines, commonly called breathalyzers, are used across Canada to estimate blood-alcohol concentration (BAC). Police rely on them daily, courts admit their results, and lives are shaped by the numbers that appear on the screen. Yet these results are only estimates, and what the machines measure leaves out a large part of what is
Physiological Unknowns in Breath Testing: What the Machines Miss Continue Reading »
Tomorrow marks 15 years since British Columbia’s Immediate Roadside Prohibition (IRP) scheme came into force. I have been involved in some way with the defence of IRPs since the day they began. Over that time I have seen thousands of cases, countless hearings, and an evolving body of law. Experience brings perspective. After fifteen years,
15 Years of Immediate Roadside Prohibitions: 15 Complaints from the Front Lines Continue Reading »
In British Columbia, the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for fully licensed drivers is 0.08%. However, the question of how many drinks you can have before reaching this limit is more complicated than it might seem. Several factors affect your BAC, including your body weight, metabolism, the type of alcohol you drink, and how
How Many Drinks Can You Have and Drive in BC? Continue Reading »
Energy drinks, typically containing caffeine, taurine, and glucuronolactone (CTG), are widely marketed with claims of improved concentration, reaction time, vigilance, and endurance. Research largely supports caffeine’s role in enhancing cognitive performance, particularly attention, vigilance, and reaction time, and in counteracting fatigue. However, the specific contributions of taurine and glucuronolactone, especially in combination with caffeine, are
The Effects of Energy Drinks on Impaired Driving Continue Reading »
