Impaired driving suspensions – Impact on driver’s abstracts

Overview

An Alberta driver's abstract displays a driver's history within a specified time period, which is based on:

• the length of time the driver's abstract is requested for (3, 5, or 10 years), and
• when the initial impaired driving event occurred.

While driver’s licence suspensions, criminal convictions and traffic ticket contraventions are not removed from the Alberta driving record, they stop appearing on the driver’s abstract after 3, 5, or 10 years based on the length of time the driver’s abstract is requested for.

With the introduction of the Immediate Roadside Sanctions (IRS) Program on December 1, 2020, the driver’s abstract will be updated to reflect the former impaired driving programs as well as those under the IRS Program.

See Get a driver abstract for details on how to obtain a driver’s abstract.

Suspension type

Drivers suspected of being at a criminal level of impairment

Alberta Administrative Licence Suspension (AALS) Program

AALS Program occurrences from April 9, 2018, up to and including November 30, 2020, will appear on a standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract while active.

Once the AALS ends, it will continue to appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract.

IRS: FAIL Program

IRS: FAIL occurrences on or after December 1, 2020, will appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract while active.

Once the IRS FAIL ends, it will continue to appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract.

How suspensions under the IRS: FAIL Program (previously known as AALS) will appear on the driver’s abstract

Once a driver is issued an IRS: FAIL by law enforcement, this will reflect on the Alberta driver’s abstract under its own unique Case Number.

If criminal charges were also issued from an IRS: FAIL driving event, and the driver is found guilty of the criminal charges, the driver’s abstract will reflect:

• the criminal conviction
• the federal driving prohibition
• a provincial suspension arising from the criminal conviction

Any criminal conviction and associated federal driving prohibition will appear on the Alberta driver’s abstract with its own unique Case Number, separate from the IRS: FAIL Case Number.

However, these are treated as 1 driving event, and not 4 separate driving events regardless that the Case Numbers appear differently.

It is strongly recommended that an insurance company should not surcharge twice when a criminal conviction arises from the same driving event as the IRS: FAIL.

You can connect these driving events together by the occurrence / suspension start date appearing on the driver’s abstract. If further confirmation is required to connect the driving events, such as for an insurance company, you can supply both the:

• Notice of Administrative Penalty issued by law enforcement at the time of the IRS: FAIL, and

• Order of Driving Prohibition against an Offender issued by the courts

These documents will reflect the same occurrence / suspension start date.

Replacement copies of these documents may be directly obtained by the issuing law enforcement agency or courts.

How participation in Alberta’s Ignition Interlock Program will appear on the driver’s abstract

If an individual is participating/has participated in the following programs the driver's abstract will reflect the term where the restricted driver's licence was issued:

• IRS: FAIL Ignition Interlock Program during the IRS: FAIL suspension term, or
• Mandatory Ignition Interlock Program after being criminally convicted

Often times, employers rely on this information to confirm a driver may legally drive while serving their impaired driving suspension(s).

Drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05 to 0.079

Immediate Roadside Suspension Program

Immediate Roadside Suspension Program occurrences on or before November 30, 2020, will appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract while active.

Once the Immediate Roadside Suspension ends, it will continue to appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract.

IRS: WARN Program

IRS: WARN occurrences on or after December 1, 2020, will appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract while active.

Once the IRS: WARN ends, it will continue to appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract.

Driver’s licensed under the Graduated Driver’s Licence Program

Drivers licensed under the Graduated Driver’s Licence Program must have a zero blood alcohol/drug level when driving.

Alberta Zero Alcohol/Drug Tolerance (AZADT) Program

AZADT Program occurrences up to and including November 30, 2020, will appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract while active.

Once the AZADT ends, it will continue to appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract.

IRS ZERO: Novice Program

IRS ZERO: Novice occurrences on or after December 1, 2020, will appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract while active.

Once the IRS ZERO: Novice ends, it will continue to appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract.

Commercial vehicle drivers

Drivers operating a commercial vehicle must have a zero blood alcohol/drug level when driving

IRS ZERO: Commercial Program

IRS ZERO: Commercial occurrences on or after December 1, 2020, will appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract while active.

Once the IRS ZERO: Commercial ends, it will continue to appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract.

Drivers who are suspected of being impaired by alcohol, drugs or a physical or medical condition while driving

24-Hour Suspension Program

24-Hour Suspension occurrences on or before November 30, 2020, do not appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract.

IRS: 24 Hour occurrences on or after December 1, 2020, do not appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract.

Out-of-province impaired driving suspensions

Reciprocal out-of-province immediate impaired driving suspensions

These suspensions appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract while active.

Once it ends, they will not appear on a purchased standard driver’s abstract and a commercial driver’s abstract.

Contact

Connect with Driver Fitness and Monitoring:

Driver fitness monitoring contact form

Phone: 780-427-8230
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)

Hours: 8:15 am to 12 pm, and 1 pm to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)