Get Drunks Off NT Roads

The Territory Opposition have written to the Minister for Transport, Delia Lawrie, calling for a bipartisan approach to dealing with the Territory’s spiralling road toll and proposing amendments to the Transport Legislation (Alcohol Ignition Locks) Amendment Bill.

With the Territory’s road toll now standing at a horrendous 68, it’s time to take decisive action about the dangerous level of drink driving in the Territory.

"We need much more effective strategies to deal with habitual drink drivers throughout the Territory," says Adam Giles, Opposition Transport Spokesperson.

"The Opposition will introduce amendments to the Alcohol Ignition Locks Bill that would result in repeat high-level drink driver’s cars being confiscated.

"Under the Opposition’s proposed amendments a drink driver detected three times in five years where one of the offences is high level (.15 or above) will have their car confiscated.

"These amendments are significantly tougher than the Country Liberals policy put forward during the recent Territory election.

"We must successfully target habitual drink drivers; people who have little or no care for themselves or anyone else.

"International and domestic research into the effectiveness of alcohol ignition locks indicates they are unlikely to have a significant impact on the overall rate of drink driving in the Territory.

"The research shows that ignition locks prevent drink driving when they are fitted to a car, but once removed almost all the individuals reverted to their old ways.

"What is required is a much stronger deterrent for drink driving after the ignition locks are removed, which is exactly what the Opposition is proposing.
"The Opposition also supports a more effective deployment of random breath tests making it more likely that habitual drink drivers find themselves before the courts.

"The number and placement of random breath tests needs to be re-assessed immediately.

"Until there is a concerted effort from the Government to reduce the number of people driving drunk, the Territory will have the unwanted distinction of leading the country in road fatalities."

2008-10-15