The maximum penalty for those caught driving under the influence will increase from three months to one year, after a new bill was passed in parliament, reports NOS. Those who are caught drink driving will also loose their licences a lot faster.
These new regulations come after the Senate passed a bill which has introduced changes to the existing policies. This bill, which comes into force next year, will give judges more powers to really crackdown on people driving under the influence.
Accidents on road involving alcohol have doubled
According to the Council for the Judiciary, accidents caused by drugs and alcohol has doubled in the last two years. There has also been a rise in the number of convicted people for driving under the influence. According to Grapperhaus, this might also be because they have been working towards minimising this problem. He said to NOS, “there may be fewer trap controls, but we are now checking in a much more focused way, with inconspicuous cars.”
New regulations for driving under the influence
The new changes will come into effect starting from next year. One of the changes will be to give judges the power to immediately take away a person’s license after a decision has been passed, even if they want an appeal. Right now, the driver is allowed on the road if such an appeal is in process. They are also allowed to give a maximum penalty of a one-year prison sentence.
Judges can also now issue a driving ban of up to five years, and if found in violation of that, the person will be sent to jail. If the judge imposes a ban of more than two years, then the person will lose their license and will have to retake the driving test. If anyone is found in violation of the ban, they will be sent to prison for up to one year.
New and more strict regulations will also apply to motorists. Motorists who are found to have alcohol in their system can receive a prison sentence of up to one year. Right now, it is only for three months. They will also have to retake the test if they are a frequent offender, that is, if all of the decisions from these offenses total up to two years.
Drinking and driving is a very irresponsible thing to do, and anyone who does should have their licenses revoked. Do you agree with these new regulations? Let us know in the comments below!
Feature Image: Miguel Ángel Ramón/Pixabay