Novice driver caught driving four times over drinking limit on Hwy. 417

A 24-year-old G2 licenced driver was caught with four times above the legal drinking limit (OPP/X)

Ontario Provincial Police have charged a G2 licenced driver with impaired driving after allegedly crashing into a ditch while drunk on Highway 417 in Ottawa.

OPP said in a post to social media Wednesday morning that the 24-year-old was driving four times above the legal drinking limit.

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Ontario has a zero-tolerance alcohol policy for novice drivers, who cannot operate a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above 0.00 per cent.

The legal limit for a fully licenced driver in Ontario is set at 0.08 per cent.

The Ottawa Police Service assisted OPP in locating passengers in the car who had fled the scene. Police did not provide further details on arrests or the identity of the driver.

The driver was hit with an automatic roadside licence suspension of 90 days.

OPS say they are stepping up RIDE programs in the city during the holiday season. 27 drivers were charged with impaired driving-related offences between the evening of Dec. 7 and the morning of Dec. 11.

Ottawa residents are encouraged by police to call 9-1-1 when they see someone they believe may be driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs.