25 August 2011

Big blow

25 August 2011 | By johnboy

Twenty-nine people returned positive results for drink driving in the past week, with 23 caught over the weekend alone (Friday, August 19 to Sunday, August 21).

The highest recorded reading was from a 37-year-old man on Friday, August 19, with a reading of 0.201. He is a 0.05 licence holder.

Of the 29 people, six have previous convictions for drink driving and nine are restricted to 0.00 limits.

Officer-in-Charge of Traffic Operations Sergeant Jeff Knight said that the number of people who continue to drink and drive is surprising to him.

“While we recorded a 50 per cent decrease in the number of road deaths on ACT roads last financial year, we’re not seeing a huge decrease in the number of people who continue to drink and drive, particularly those with previous convictions.

“This surprises us because we all know the dangers of impaired driving, and some continue to do it, even after they are caught multiple times,” Sergeant Knight said.

ACT Policing has conducted more than 2700 random breath tests already in August with 74 people returning positive results.

Ten people died on ACT roads in the 2010–11 financial year while 20 road deaths were recorded in 2009–10.

The road toll for this calendar year remains at 6 following the results of a post mortem conducted on the 86-year-old man from the collision on the Tuggeranong Parkway on Thursday, May 5. The cause of death was a medical condition.

[Courtesy ACT Policing]

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Splinters11:30 am 29 Aug 11

borizuka said :

Maybe increase the penelties for repeaters? Just putting a really wild idea out there.

I’m all for that. I work as a Paramedic in Queenbeyan (live in Gowrie) and see the crap that both the police and general public have to witness.

Then we come in, scoop the drivers deceased, mangled body from the road and continue to our next job.

Felix the Cat8:44 pm 25 Aug 11

Henry82 said :

(assuming they don’t already), perhaps 30 day impounding of cars would assist getting the message across to repeat offenders.

I’ve never understood why your car can be impounded for doing a burnout which for the most part is pretty harmless but drink and drive and you just get a fine and licence suspension (supposing you have a licence in the first place…).

milkman12:42 pm 25 Aug 11

Rawhide Kid Part3 said :

Why are these people still driving cars? In fact, why do they still have a car?

Intrigueing questions.

Mysteryman12:20 pm 25 Aug 11

borizuka said :

Maybe increase the penelties for repeaters? Just putting a really wild idea out there.

That’s a ludicrous suggestion. Don’t you know that answer is “more speed cameras”?

Rawhide Kid Part312:15 pm 25 Aug 11

Why are these people still driving cars? In fact, why do they still have a car?

Henry8212:00 pm 25 Aug 11

(assuming they don’t already), perhaps 30 day impounding of cars would assist getting the message across to repeat offenders.

p111:52 am 25 Aug 11

borizuka said :

Maybe increase the penelties for repeaters? Just putting a really wild idea out there.

It disturbs me that so many DUI offenders are repeaters. I am generally against the idea of mandating sentences, but I feel that stiffer sentences might be the way to go for this? Or perhaps mandatory (custodial) alcohol treatment, for say the second offence?

Ohh, and bring back that page in the paper when they name the offender, time, place and BAC of the offence.

borizuka11:33 am 25 Aug 11

Maybe increase the penelties for repeaters? Just putting a really wild idea out there.