The B.C. government is looking at its own version of an Ontario law that allows for the seizure and sale of vehicles owned by people convicted of impaired driving. The Ontario law requires drivers who've had three impaired driving convictions in 10 years to forfeit their vehicles to the province, which then can then sell them. B.C. Solicitor General John Les said he is considering adopting similar legislation for B.C. that could be used against those with an established pattern of driving while impaired. The new legislation would be an amendment to the province's existing civil forfeiture legislation, which allows the province to seize property in civil court, Les told CBC's Rick Cluff on Monday morning. Ultimately, any decision to seize a vehicle would have to be made by a judge in court, said Les. "Where there's an established pattern of drinking and driving, or other egregious behaviour associated with that, the judge would have the ability to order the forfeiture of the vehicle," said Les. B.C. already has legislation that allows police to temporarily seize the vehicles of impaired drivers, take away their licences, and requires them to complete responsible driving programs. It can also require them to have an ignition interlock device that checks their blood-alcohol level on their vehicle when they start to drive again. But Robert Solomon, who is with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said Canada's impaired driving laws haven't done enough to curb what he sees as a serious and growing problem. Canada has the highest rate of alcohol-involved fatal crashes of any modern democracy, said Solomon. A recent MADD study shows 75 per cent of people who lose their licences due to drunk driving continue to get behind the wheel after their suspensions, said Soloman.
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