Failing to Remain at the Scene of an Accident Under Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act: How the Provincial Charge Compares to the Criminal Code Offence
In Alberta, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident can give rise to two different charges. The first is the criminal offence of failure to stop after an accident under the Criminal Code of Canada, which carries a criminal record and can include a driving prohibition and jail. The second is the provincial offence […]
Failure to Stop at the Scene of an Accident in Alberta: How the Criminal Code Charge Works
Failure to stop at the scene of an accident is a Criminal Code of Canada offence with serious consequences in Alberta. A conviction produces a criminal record and can include a driving prohibition and jail. Where the accident caused bodily harm or death, the maximum sentences increase substantially. The federal legislation governing this offence was […]
Statements to Police After a Motor Vehicle Accident in Alberta: The Two Sets of Rules That Apply
After a motor vehicle accident in Alberta, drivers face two overlapping legal frameworks at the same time. Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act requires drivers to report the accident to police in certain circumstances. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects the right to silence and the right to counsel in criminal investigations. The relationship between […]
Dangerous Driving vs Careless Driving in Alberta: Why the Difference Matters
When a driver is involved in a serious incident on Alberta roads, the police and Crown have a choice to make. The same piece of driving can support a charge under the Criminal Code of Canada or under Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act. Whether the charge is dangerous driving or careless driving will determine whether the […]
Facing Sexual Assault or Sex Crime Charges in Alberta: What You Need to Know
What you need to do if you’re changed with sexual assault or a sex crime.
What Is a Notice of Administrative Penalty (NAP) in Alberta?
If you have been pulled over for an alleged impaired driving offence in Alberta and handed a Notice of Administrative Penalty (NAP), you are now in the SafeRoads Alberta system. The NAP is the document that triggers the entire administrative penalty process. It sets the suspension start date, the fine amount, the type of Immediate […]
Lost Your SafeRoads Hearing in Alberta? How Judicial Review at the Court of King’s Bench Works
If you lost your SafeRoads hearing in Alberta, judicial review at the Court of King’s Bench is the next step. SafeRoads judicial review is the formal court process for challenging the SafeRoads decision maker’s ruling. Most SafeRoads files in Alberta come out of impaired driving and roadside breath testing investigations: an Immediate Roadside Sanction (often […]