More 'new' drivers getting caught at roadblocks

Vancouver police say they're disturbed by the number of "new" drivers getting caught at roadblocks.

Under B.C.'s graduated licensing program, which considers drivers new for twoyears after the learner's period,new drivers are not allowed to drink any alcohol at all before getting behind the wheel.

But Vancouver police say they handed out 12-hour suspensions to eight new drivers over the weekend.

"On the back of their driver's licence, it says youre not allowed to have any alcohol at all. Not one or two drinksnot any alcohol at all," said Const. Lindsey Houghton.

He says the eight new drivers all blew between 0 and .05 at roadblocks.

He said a total of 30 12-hour prohibitions have been handed out to new drivers since the start of the summer roadblock campaign, compared with 36 handed out for the entire 2011 summer campaign, which ran until early August.

"These young people are the ones who should know better than anyone, having just received their licence."

He says police are generally catching more impaired drivers this year than last, but couldn't say why.

"But what I can tell you is even one impaired driver on our road is concerning for us," Houghton said.