11 July 2012

Repeat offenders going DUI in a third of cases

| johnboy
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Targeted breath testing by ACT Policing resulted in 29 drink-drivers being apprehended last weekend (July 6 – 8).

Police apprehended 33 drink-drivers for the week in total (July 2 – 8), nine of whom were drivers required by the conditions of their licences to have a zero Blood Alcohol Content (BAC).

Repeat offenders continue to be an issue on Canberra’s roads, with 10 of the 33 drink-drivers apprehended having previous convictions for the offence.

In one incident police located a Mitsubishi sedan which had run off Belconnen Way, in Macquarie around 11.20pm on Friday night (July 6). A 26-year-old man was found in the driver’s seat, his pants covered in vomit. He was taken to Belconnen Police Station, where his BAC was found to be 0.165. He was issued with an Immediate Suspension Notice.

In another incident, around 12.55am on Sunday morning (July 8), police conducting RAPID checks in Fadden saw a Ford Focus driving toward them with its headlights off. Police attempted to follow the vehicle but lost sight of it. The same car was seen about seven minutes later by police on Tharwa Drive in Banks, where the driver sped away at more than 135km/h in an 80km/h zone.

A short time later at the Banks address of the registered owner, police saw two people run from the car into the house. The 25-year-old driver later recorded a BAC of 0.104, as well as losing six demerits points and incurring a fine of $1811 for his high-range speeding.

Traffic Operations Officer-in-Charge Sergeant Rod Anderson said that police would continue to use a range of strategies to detect drink-drivers, and thereby reduce the high risk they pose to all other road users.

[Courtesy ACT Policing]

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Recidivist drunk drivers? I know from sad experience that that is just another name for murderers in waiting, and I have no time for them.

I’d line them up on the 500m mound and pop ’em like balloons. Every one of them. Probably use the 30-06.

carnardly said :

A 26-year-old man was found in the driver’s seat, his pants covered in vomit.

Classy!

I bet he thinks he’s a hero…

Reckon there’s a fair chance I’d drive off the road if someone vomited on me, too.
(see, they didn’t say whose vomit it was … and you can’t really dust for vomit)

johnboy said :

well, they already imprison people awaiting trial.

Not to mention Christmas Island or Villawood.

People held in custody while awaiting trial still need to appear before a judge who decides whether or not bail is granted.

Mandatory detention of asylum seekers is a grey area. Technically they aren’t being imprisoned, just held while their application is processed. Not that I agree with it.

Dilandach said :

Jethro said :

I agree we should be tougher on drink drivers.

But the reason no politician would introduce mandatory jail sentences without a trial is because it is illegal and undemocratic. The executive does not have the right to jail people, no matter how contemptible the crime.

You’d see a dramatic drop after a couple of months once people got wise that if they got caught they’d go straight from the cop car to a jail cell for six months or more with no delays.

I’m sure you would. That still doesn’t make it legally possible for the government to legislate for people to be imprisoned without trial.

well, they already imprison people awaiting trial.

Not to mention Christmas Island or Villawood.

Jethro said :

I agree we should be tougher on drink drivers.

But the reason no politician would introduce mandatory jail sentences without a trial is because it is illegal and undemocratic. The executive does not have the right to jail people, no matter how contemptible the crime.

You’d see a dramatic drop after a couple of months once people got wise that if they got caught they’d go straight from the cop car to a jail cell for six months or more with no delays.

Rawhide Kid Part312:00 pm 11 Jul 12

Confiscate all their cars! NO EXCUSE for DRINK DRIVING PERIOD.

Dilandach said :

Varying levels of penalties should be in place beyond just taking away a licence or imposing additional conditions.

After getting caught on a 0 BAC licence, fines and car fitted with the breathalizer ignition thing.
Get caught again, double fines of last time and impounding of car for 6 months.
Get caught drink driving again, triple fines, impounded car crushed, new car or borrowed car impounded for 6 months.
Caught again, instant jail time. No trial, no court, no plea bargins just 6 months jail time.

If they can manage not to do anything wrong in 6 month increments then the level of penalty stays the same or reduces. If at any time within those penalty levels someone is killed or injured by said drink driving then once again, no trial just straight to jail for the offence they’re charged with.

Of course its pure fantasy, no politician or political party would ever have the balls to implement something like that.

I agree we should be tougher on drink drivers.

But the reason no politician would introduce mandatory jail sentences without a trial is because it is illegal and undemocratic. The executive does not have the right to jail people, no matter how contemptible the crime.

A 26-year-old man was found in the driver’s seat, his pants covered in vomit.

Classy! I bet he thinks he’s a hero…

Varying levels of penalties should be in place beyond just taking away a licence or imposing additional conditions.

After getting caught on a 0 BAC licence, fines and car fitted with the breathalizer ignition thing.
Get caught again, double fines of last time and impounding of car for 6 months.
Get caught drink driving again, triple fines, impounded car crushed, new car or borrowed car impounded for 6 months.
Caught again, instant jail time. No trial, no court, no plea bargins just 6 months jail time.

If they can manage not to do anything wrong in 6 month increments then the level of penalty stays the same or reduces. If at any time within those penalty levels someone is killed or injured by said drink driving then once again, no trial just straight to jail for the offence they’re charged with.

Of course its pure fantasy, no politician or political party would ever have the balls to implement something like that.

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