The days of driving home after a pint or glass of wine are over for Louth drivers who want to avoid penalty points and losing their licence for at least three months.
Lower drink driving laws, introduced at the end of 2011 have begun to impact on detection rates at road checkpoints, according to the Louth Traffic Corps.
The controversial new laws were criticised for being 'a lighter alternative' to a court appearance and possible newspaper publicity.
But a garda spokesman warned ' this is defintely not a soft touch' adding that the new limits have in fact led to an increase in the number of arrests at checkpoints.
Although just six drivers have been arrested under the new legislation, these include limits of just nine micrograms of alcohol which can be picked up in breathalysers and lead to a fine and short term driving ban.
' The new limits means that for a learner driver, someone who is within two years of passing their test, or a bus or taxi driver if they are found to have anything between 9mcg in a breathalyser test and 27mililitres per 100 ml of urine, they will receive a fine in the post of €200 and a disqualification from driving for three months.'
He added that this amount 'could be as little as a half glass of wine with a meal.'
Source: Olivia Ryan, drogheda-independent.ie, 29/08/12
Safer Student Nights
eBulletin
Poll
