- New drivers (both GDL stages) face zero alcohol/drug tolerance, with one flat penalty regardless of how many times: 30-day suspension + 7-day vehicle seizure + $200 fine + 20% surcharge
- Fully-licensed WARN tier (≥0.05): 1st offence is a 3-day suspension / 3-day seizure / $300 fine, escalating from there
- Fully-licensed FAIL tier (≥0.08, or refusing a test, or drug-impaired): 1st offence is a 90-day suspension plus a further 12 months, plus a $1,000 fine; it escalates further, and a 3rd offence can mean a lifetime suspension
- Criminal Code convictions (separate from — and can stack with — the provincial IRS penalties above): a 1st finding means a 1–3 year driving ban; a 2nd finding means 2–10 years; a 3rd or subsequent finding means at least 3 years; any prison time is served, then the ban runs afterward rather than overlapping it
- Convictions stay on your driving record for 10 years, but the demerit points from any one conviction are cleared 2 years after that conviction — "10 years" and "2 years" are two different things
- High-frequency demerit values: 7 for failing to remain at a collision; 6 for careless driving / not stopping for a school bus / racing / speeding 51+ km/h over; 4 for not yielding to a pedestrian in a crosswalk / following too closely / speeding 31–50 over; 3 for running a red light / a stop sign / driving the wrong way / speeding 16–30 over; 2 for an improper turn or lane change / speeding up to 15 over; GDL-only 2-point items: curfew violation, too many passengers, an unqualified supervisor; 3 points for distracted driving, specifically hand-held phone use ($390 fine, and it counts even stopped at a red light); hands-free use — voice-activated or a single touch, phone never held in your hand — is legal and isn't the same rule
Knowledge points and examples
Alcohol or drug impairment, BAC distinctions, safe choices, and IRS consequences
What is the blood alcohol limit for a GDL driver in Alberta?
GDL drivers must have a zero blood alcohol concentration at all times while driving.
What are the immediate IRS ZERO: Novice consequences for a Class 7 or Class 5-GDL driver with alcohol or drugs in their system?
IRS ZERO: Novice imposes an immediate 30-day licence suspension, a 7-day vehicle seizure, and a $200 fine plus a 20% victim fine surcharge.
Distraction, fatigue, medication, vision, and medical fitness to drive
Who is legally obligated to report any medical condition affecting driving ability?
The driver is personally responsible and legally obligated to report medical conditions affecting driving.
What vision standard must you meet for a Class 5 licence?
You must meet a minimum corrected visual acuity of 20/50 for a Class 5 licence.
Demerit thresholds, offence-specific points, fines, suspensions, and driving-record effects
A fully licenced driver is suspended when they accumulate:
A fully licensed driver faces suspension upon accumulating 15 demerit points.
Under GDL, a driver will receive 2 demerit points for which of the following?
Under GDL, carrying more passengers than available seat belts results in 2 demerit points.
Aggression, road rage, proactive attitudes, and recognition of driving risk
'Road rage' is best described as:
Road rage is aggressive, hostile, or violent behaviour that endangers other road users.
If another driver displays road rage toward you, you should:
Stay calm, don't engage, avoid eye contact, and drive to a safe public area or police station if necessary.
Check your understanding
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