Vehicle Impoundment Programs - Seven Day Vehicle Impoundments

Bill 126 - Seven-Day Vehicle Impoundments

Effective December 1, 2010, new seven-day vehicle impoundments will apply to:

• Drivers caught driving with a driver’s licence that is already under a specific Highway Traffic Act (HTA) licence suspension(s) - including default of family support, but not including suspensions for defaulted fines or medical conditions.  A seven-day vehicle impoundment would apply to HTA suspensions such as:
• failure to complete remedial measures;
• warn range (.05 to .08) blood alcohol concentration suspensions;
• novice violations;
• demerit point accumulations;
• default of family support; and
• careless driving.
• Drivers required to have a vehicle ignition interlock device and who are found driving without such a device; and,
• All drivers caught with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over 0.08 or who fail/refuse to comply with a demand (to provide a breath sample) made by a police officer under the Criminal Code of Canada .

These vehicle impoundments apply regardless of whether the vehicle is borrowed from a friend or family member, used for business or employment purposes, rented or leased. The owner of the vehicle must pay the towing and storage costs before the vehicle will be released. There is no appeal process for any of these seven-day vehicle impoundment programs.

Vehicle impoundment programs make vehicle owners responsible for ensuring that anyone driving their vehicles is not suspended. People loaning or renting their vehicles can verify that a driver's licence is valid by phone at 1-900-565-6555 or online at www.mto.gov.on.ca. You can also get a driver's abstract at any ServiceOntario Driver and Vehicle Licence Issuing Office . There is a nominal fee for each licence checked.  These services will also tell you if the driver is required to have an ignition interlock device in any vehicle they drive.