Province denies third-party liability coverage for impaired drivers

Impaired drivers in Manitoba who are involved in collisions will be denied third-party liability coverage, and will be responsible for covering the cost of any damage they cause to other vehicles or property under new rules in the province.

Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) and the provincial government said Tuesday the denial of coverage will take effect Aug. 1. Under the new rules, if an impaired driver causes damage to someone else’s vehicle or property, MPI will cover the damages and then seek repayment from the impaired driver.

“Far too many people are killed and injured every year in collisions caused by impaired drivers,” Manitoba Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen said in an MPI press release. “That’s why the Government of Manitoba is pleased to announce that MPI now has the authority to recover costs for property or vehicle damage directly from these drivers.”

Third-party liability covers damages caused to other vehicles and personal or public property. The change will apply to drivers of all types of motor vehicles, including off-road vehicles.

MPI’s Personal Injury Protection Plan covers all Manitoba residents injured in an auto accident anywhere in Canada and the U.S. “However, outside of Manitoba, an impaired driver is subject to the laws of the jurisdiction, meaning they could be responsible for covering the costs of all damage caused, including bodily injuries,” MPI warned.

MPI chairperson Ward Keith said the announcement creates “one more serious deterrent to impaired driving in Manitoba.”

All-perils damage to one’s own vehicle is already denied for impaired drivers. Additional consequences to driving after consuming drugs or alcohol in Manitoba include:

• Licence suspension
• Vehicle impoundment
• Participation in Manitoba’s ignition interlock program
• Potential charges under the Criminal Code of Canada
• Movement down the driver safety rating scale
• Mandatory impaired driver assessment at Addictions Foundation Manitoba at the driver’s expense

Statistics show impaired driving is a factor in one in four road fatalities each year in Manitoba and is a contributing factor in about 26 deaths each year on average, MPI reported.

So far in 2023, seven people have been killed in collisions involved impaired driving on Manitoba roads.

Feature image by iStock.com/Prot Tachapanit