New penalties for Alberta drivers who have a blood alcohol level of between .05 and .08 per cent will be put into effect on Sept. 1.

The province says drivers with that much alcohol in their blood will be subject to an immediate three-day suspension of their driver's licence and their vehicle will be impounded for 72 hours.

The penalties go up for repeat offenders.

Currently, drivers who have a blood alcohol level between .05 and .08 are subject to a 24-hour licence suspension at the discretion of a police officer.

Acting Insp. Michael Watterston of the traffic unit says Calgary police support the tougher penalties as a way of discouraging people who drink alcohol from getting behind the wheel.

He said this is another tool for officers to impose immediate roadside sanctions.

"Certainly the message here is for motorists to be aware of the new changes that have come into force and, clearly, it is so important for individuals who do choose to go out and consume alcohol to have a Plan B," he said.

Alberta's Justice Minister Jonathan Denis says the second phase of tougher penalties is about making the province's roads safer because nobody has the right to drive drunk.