Tough new laws put the brakes on drink drivers
Under the nation’s toughest drink-driving laws, an average of four Victorian drivers a day between May to December last year had their licences suspended after recording a blood alcohol reading of between 0.05 and 0.069.
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The licences of hundreds of boozy motorists have been suspended in the first eight months of the nation’s toughest drink-driving laws.
An average of four Victorian drivers a day were caught with a blood alcohol reading between 0.05 and 0.069 in May to December last year, costing them their licence for at least three months.
Under the crackdown, their cars were also fitted with alcohol Interlock devices and they were forced into behavioural change programs.
The Herald Sun can reveal that 95 of the 1037 drivers caught were fully-licensed motorists aged under 26.
Another 115, including P-platers, had restrictions that meant they could have no alcohol in their blood.
A further 1714 drivers were caught with a blood alcohol reading between 0.07 and 0.15.
Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said the force took drink driving “incredibly seriously”.
“It is extremely disappointing any time we hear someone has chosen to get behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” he said.
“It is not only their own life which is put at risk, but also those of innocent road users.
“Any blood-alcohol level affects your ability to judge distances, your reaction times are slower and concentration span is shorter.”
Last year, 135 drivers and motorcyclists were killed on Victorian roads.
Shocking data on 126 of the cases revealed almost 60 per cent of the drivers or riders tested positive for drugs or alcohol.
Victorian Road Safety Minister Jaala Pulford said the new laws included the toughest drink-driving penalties in Australia.
It is not yet clear whether the beefed-up penalties have had an effect on reducing the number of drink drivers on Victorian roads.
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VicRoads will need two to three years of offence and crash data to properly evaluate their effect.
“This shocking new data confirms what we’ve known for decades — that drink and drug driving is unbelievably reckless and dangerous,” Ms Pulford said.
“Safety is always our number one priority, and the reforms put in place last year are making our roads safer by taking drivers who choose to risk their own lives and those of others off the road.”