Widow Welcomes Focus On Repeat Drink Drive Offenders

A road safety lobby group welcomes the introduction of Ignition Interlocks for repeat drunk drivers as part of its bid to lower the road toll.

Bikers Against Drunk Driving (BADD) said it welcomed the introduction of ignition interlocks as part of a wider solution to drink driving, in the safer journeys ten year road safety strategy announced yesterday.

Spokesperson Jos Mason, whose husband was killed by a recidivist drink driver along with two of his friends in 2007, said it was important for Transport Minister Steven Joyce to take note of the challenges faced when introducing this legislation overseas and to avoid the same mistakes.

Jos when referring to studies on Ignition Interlock programs, conducted by Paul Marques from Pacific Institute of Research and Evaluation, said - "Results were high showing 60-90% reduction in recidivism, but participation levels were low via the court systems."

"In the US, if the laws were too leniant the offenders worked the loopholes, it is only now after long term usage, that states in the US, were finally getting laws that require interlocks as a condition of license reinstatement, for all DUI offenders – which includes first timers and subsequent DUI's. We need to make sure costing is never an excuse to avoid participation in the programs, again there are many recommendations available to address low income earners. We need to make sure we get this legislation right, from the start”

“It is long overdue that traffic offence penalties for drink driving causing death and serious injury were reviewed. In the UK people can be faced with a maximum of 14 years for the same offence People need to be held accountable for their actions. Drink driving is a criminal offence and unless we get tough there is no disincentive to stop doing it,” said Mrs Mason.

ENDS

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