RIDE Checks and Mandatory Alcohol Screening in Ontario

Police in Ontario run RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) checks year-round. Since December 2018, the Criminal Code allows mandatory alcohol screening: a police officer who has lawfully stopped a driver, and has an approved screening device, can demand a breath sample without any suspicion of drinking.

At a RIDE check

• Police can ask for your licence, ownership and insurance.
• They can ask whether you have been drinking or using drugs.
• They can demand a roadside breath sample.

Results

• Pass: you continue on your way.
• Warn range (0.05 to 0.079): an immediate licence suspension and other provincial penalties, which increase for repeat occurrences.
• Fail (0.08 or more): you may be arrested and taken for further breath testing, and face criminal charges.

Zero tolerance

Novice drivers (G1, G2, M1, M2), and drivers 21 and under, must have a blood alcohol level of zero.

Drugs

Police can also test for drug impairment using standardized field sobriety tests or approved oral fluid screening devices.

Refusing

Refusing or failing to provide a sample, without a reasonable excuse, is a criminal offence with a heavy fine, a driving prohibition and a criminal record.

If you are charged

Get legal advice right away. Criminal impaired driving charges are outside a paralegal's scope, but NEO can help with provincial licence and traffic matters.

Sources

• Criminal Code, s. 320.27
• Ontario: impaired driving
• Highway Traffic Act

Read next: Lending Your Car: Who Pays for the Ticket or the Crash?

General Ontario legal information, not legal advice for your matter, and reading it does not create a retainer. Sources checked 15 October 2026: check the current law, forms and dates before you act.

Photos from Pexels: Driving down a tree-lined road at dusk · Downtown Toronto on a snowy day.

This article is general information for people in Ontario, not legal advice. Rules, forms and deadlines change, and every situation is different. Check the current rule or speak to a licensed legal professional before you act.