In-car breath test to foil drink drivers
From The Daily Telegraph
REPEAT drink drivers could be forced to breathe into a car ignition interlock before their cars will start, the Government announced yesterday.
If the driver fails the test the car's engine will be immobilised.
The NSW Government will introduce laws into Parliament next week which will give judges and magistrates a new sentencing option when dealing with drunk drivers.
Courts will have the power to have the alcohol interlock device installed in an offender's car when their licence is returned after a period of disqualification.
Repeat offenders and first-time offenders in the high range more than 0.15 will be eligible for the interlock which is a recommendation of a road safety taskforce established by the Government. The machine could be installed for five years in return for a reduced period of disqualification.
Offenders face a fee of $120 a month if forced to have the unit installed in their car.
Transport Minister Carl Scully said under present legislation courts had limited options disqualification and jail for high and mid-range offences.
"Before the ignition works what the person will be required to do is breathe into the alcohol interlock device and if there is any presence of alcohol in the breath the car ignition will not work," Mr Scully said.
"This will help keep alcohol-affected drivers off our roads. It is aimed at those people who commit serious drink-driving offences for repeat offenders and for first and subsequent offenders who record high alcohol readings."
B]The interlock device assigned to a particular driver was capable of detecting whether a balloon or a person had been used as a substitute to start the vehicle, Mr Scully said.[/B]
He said interlocks had been successfully used in the US, Canada and Sweden.
South Australia, Victoria and Queensland had introduced the locks or were in the process of doing so, Mr Scully said.
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You know, somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on the windscreen. It said, 'Parking Fine.'So that was nice.
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