NSW new drink driving laws

[Black Orchid]

Tough new drink-driving laws come into effect today for NSW, which will see anyone caught driving over the alcohol limit have their licence immediately suspended.

The new penalties were announced by Transport and Roads Minister Andrew Constance earlier this month.

From today, any driver, even if they are a first time or low-range offender, will receive a $561 fine and immediate three month licence suspension.

“This means anyone caught drink-driving in NSW, at any level, including low-range, can now lose their licence immediately,” Mr Constance said.

“This reform makes it clear if you break the law, you will pay the price. We are taking a zero-tolerance approach to drink and drug driving.”

This new law also applies for people caught drug-driving.

Before the reform came into effect, drink-drivers had to attend court to determine the severity of their penalty.

Previously low-range drink-drivers didn’t lose their licence immediately and were still able to drive up until their court date.

The harsh new penalty comes as part of a number of changes being introduced as part of the Road Safety Plan 2021, in a bid to further deter drink-driving and reduce alcohol-related trauma.

Alcohol-related crashes claimed the lives of at least 68 people on NSW roads last year, accounting for nearly one in five road deaths, including 55 lives lost on country roads.

The Road Safety Plan aims to reduce road fatalities by at least 30 per cent by 2021.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/inno ... 5fd78dfdc6

[billy the kid]

This "reform" is purely and simply a government initiative to unclog the courts from numerous drink driving charges in every
court in the state. The courts cant cope...therefore the government is giving the power to fine and suspend to the Police.
Not a brilliant initiative...blind freddie could see it coming 20 years ago....

[Neferti]

The ACT has some very strong Laws too for Alcohol and drug impaired driving.

https://police.act.gov.au/road-safety/s ... ed-driving

[Black Orchid]

Looks the same as here but usually very low range got a pass until court. Not anymore.

[billy the kid]

The ACT has some very strong Laws too for Alcohol and drug impaired driving.

https://police.act.gov.au/road-safety/s ... ed-driving

Those maximums arent very often enforced in the ACT or any other state for that matter...

[billy the kid]

Initiatives by governments are passed off by government as "we are doing a wonderful thing, attempting to keep our
roads safe"
This may, to a small extent be true, but, like the government initiative of decades ago for courts to reduce penalties
for all offences, and in lieu, attempt to "rehabilitate" offenders..its all due to cost cutting....
Governments cant cope with the burgeoning costs of employing prison officers and running prisons, so therefore
they attempt to rehabilitate instead....welcome to soft sentencing.....
Traffic fines imposed by courts are no longer collected by the Police under warrant.
Fines are now added to your drivers license or registration and are payable when you renew.
If you dont the sheriff comes knocking in an attempt to seize your assets..but that doesnt work either,
as most household assets are protected under the Bankruptcy Act, even if youre not a bankrupt.
Police are no longer seen inside a courtroom as they were decades ago. They have been replaced
by sheriffs officers who now have the power in various courts to arrest offenders. This was an initiative by the
State government to ensure Police were involved in Police duties, rather than sit in court all day.
Even so, some courts are staffed not by state employed sheriffs officer, they are employed by private
security firms (outsourcing)...once again to cut down on costs...these private security sheriffs officers have no
powers of arrest.
Everything a government does is to cut costs, and it is passed off by government as a wonderful
thing we are doing for the people.
Its all bullshit.....
Insufficient debt recovery provisions in Australia will eventually send the banks broke, because everyones
debts are to the bank nowadays..not the shop on the corner...and if bankruptcy laws protect debtors, how
are the banks to be paid...the minimum on each credit card per month....small change...
The banks will go broke....but I digress.....

[billy the kid]

http://www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/Pages/r ... _fine.aspx