Drivers face random breath tests from Friday

[alz]

Drivers face random breath tests from Friday
19/07/2006 - 18:41:21

Random breath testing for motorists is to be introduced as of midnight tomorrow. Drivers will also be banned from using handheld mobile phones while on the road.
Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy today said police checkpoints will be set up outside pubs as well as on the country’s roads.
He revealed that more than 100,000 penalty points offences have been detected since the extension of the system from four to 35 offences in April this year.
Drink drivers caught over the legal limit will face driving bans of between three months and four years.
Anyone refusing to give a breath test can expect to be off the roads for two years.
Motorists flouting the mobile phone ban can be prosecuted and fined up to Ђ2,000.
Tougher punishment is promised for the autumn, including two penalty points on payment of a fixed charge or four penalty points on conviction for the mobile phone offence.
The fresh measures were unveiled today by Minister for Transport Martin Cullen following a wave of road deaths over the past two weeks. Some 228 people have died as a result of road collisions this year to date.
The new powers and offences form part of the Road Traffic Act 2006 signed into law over the weekend. The legislation also provides for the introduction of privatised speed cameras and other detection devices.
Furthermore, gardaн will have powers to impound uninsured vehicles which are registered outside the state.
“All of these are part of a whole broad range of policies and legislative initiatives and enforcement initiatives that together will bring about a change in people’s attitude,” insisted Mr Cullen.
“We obviously want to get to the small percentage of people that seem to think they are outside the bounds of the law, particularly road traffic law.”
Garda Commissioner Conroy said he was increasing officers in the traffic corps to 805 by the end of the year.
He said enforcement levels had increased significantly over the past six months but it was down to drivers to stop the carnage on the country’s roads.
“It’s about time people took responsibility for taking charge of vehicles because not alone are they taking their own lives in some cases but they are taking the lives of innocent people and that has to stop,” he said.
Noel Brett, Chief Executive of the Road Safety Authority said the legislation paves the way for rigorous enforcement.

Плохая тенденция однако Этак скоро придется как в россии не на дорогу смотреть, а внимательно сканировать придорожные кусты на предмет раннего обнаружения козла с радаром.