Drink Driving News

Car Interlock The Offender Facing Car Lockdown

ALCOHOL ignition interlocks are expected to be introduced to Queensland later this year.

Ignition interlocks were raised in the Gladstone Magistrates Court recently, when Chris Trevor and Associates defence solicitor Stacey O’Gorman told the court her client would be in favour of having a lock placed on his vehicle as a preventive measure.

A Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said legislation was recently passed where, by the end of the year, high-risk drink drivers would be made to install an alcohol ignition interlock device or be prohibited from driving for two years.

“Interlocks have been shown to effectively separate drinking and driving,” the spokesperson said.

“When installed, they are more effective in preventing further offences and alcohol-related crashes than traditional methods such as licence disqualification.”

The spokesperson said the average reduction in re-offences while an interlock is installed is 73 per cent.

Road User Safety acting director Catherine Gunn said the first interlock was installed in Victoria in May 2003.

“Over time approximately 20,000 have been installed,” Ms Gunn said.

“There are currently approximately 7000 high-risk drivers using interlocks and statistics show that repeat drink drivers are responsible for around 20 deaths and 500 injuries a year.”

The department spokesperson said the interlocks were estimated to cost an offender about six dollars per day.

“In other Australian jurisdictions the total annual fee for an alcohol ignition interlock is between $1500 and $2200.”

Source : Simon Crase  11th May 2010 - THE OBSERVER