The Ministry of Interior is contemplating confiscating the cars of drunk drivers in an effort to combat the high number of people still driving at the wheel under the influence, and the deaths that occur as a result.
Despite higher penalties, increased checks, stricter bans and the risk of jail, the problem of drunk driving is still a problem that the police wrestle with, writes Pravda daily. Last year alone 34 people lost their lives due to drunk driving, with almost 10,000 drivers in total caught under the influence by police. That is almost 4,000 more than the previous year, but what’s worse is that around half of them blew 1.0‰ (1 permille) on the breathaliser (top was around 3.5).
The Ministry is therefore considering other options, including temporarily confiscating the cars of drivers caught under the influence as a punishment and deterrent. A similar form of punishment is already possible in some cases in the Czech Republic and Denmark is to introduce it this year, the daily writes. The Ministry is, however, apparently more inclined towards handing out short jail sentences of a few days to drunk drivers instead.
Although Slovakia has a zero alcohol limit, punishments of losing a vehicle or being put in jail would be limited to those who are over 1 permille, says interior minister Robert Kalinak, as it is then classed as a crime instead of an offence. He added that the various involved institutions would be looking at different options sometime this year.
Every 8th road accident in Slovakia in 2014 was caused by a drunk driver, with 11 more deaths in 2014 (34) than 2013 (23).
Well if these monkeys, were to adopt blood alcohol levels the same as western Europe of 0.5g/l instead of zero, they would slash the DUI figures.
Zero tolerence clearly does not work here! the road deaths in the U.K related to DUI are only a 1/3 of the level seen here, yet the blood alcohol limit is 0.8g/l.
I think the answers lie else where, like poor road design, poor roads, few paths, road markings that wear off after a month, ridiculus pedestrian crossing priorities, cycle paths etc.
mmmm road markings that wear off after a month ?…Whilst true …not sure that makes anyone drunk behind the wheel …although those laying the white lines may have been totally pissed looking at some of them …
Answer, The Slowvaks use paint for road lines , not the white tar toothpaste we use in the UK. Why ? To save money, keeps people in work and the contractor “happy”: …That is what I was told !