BC driver nailed for impaired driving on the way home from their own birthday celebration

A North Vancouver resident’s birthday took a quick turn for the worse on Wednesday night.

After celebrating their big day, they were driving home on Lonsdale Avenue without headlights, which earned them a pull over from an RCMP officer.

"When they pulled the vehicle over and spoke to the driver, they detected an odour of liquor," said Sgt. Peter DeVries, explaining that a breath test was issued and resulted in a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) between 0.05 and 0.079.

“By the time the interaction was done, they walked away with a fine and without their keys. No doubt it will be a memorable birthday, but it was also a costly one."

While a breath test fail is considered to be anything over a 0.08 BAC, drivers in British Columbia will still get a warning if they blow between 0.05 and 0.079.

A first warning comes with a three-day immediate driving prohibition and an impounded vehicle, while a second warning means seven days for both.

If it happens a third time, both the IDP and the impound are for 30 days.

As is the case with any kind of impaired driving incident, the driver is also hit with fines and other costs.

For the reasons above, it became a very expensive night of birthday celebrations for this North Vancouver resident.

"Unfortunately this driver didn't seem to have planned for a ride home after their birthday celebrations,” added DeVries.

“We'll repeat the message, and then we'll repeat it again, and again, and again, in the hope that it will change even one person's decision making process.”