DRUNKEN DRIVERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 June 1939, Page 7

DRUNKEN DRIVERS

HEAVIER PENALTIES URGED ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL’S PROPOSALS. SUPPORTED BY MINISTER (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Heavier penalties for drivers convicted of intoxication were advocated by the New Zealand Road Safety Council at its meeting yesterday. Compulsory cancellation of licences for considerable periods, except in exceptional circumstances, was recommendas well as the withdrawal of power to suppress names of such drivers on conviction, the exemption of intoxicated drivers front the benefits of third-paity insurance, and a proposal that it should be made an offence for any motorist to drink intoxicating liquor during a journey, or within half an hour of driving a car. The proposals, recommended by a special sub-committee and endorsed by the council were: First offence, a fine of up to £lOO, or three months’ imprisonment, and the driving licence must be cancelled for at least 12 months, unless the Court found special reason. Any subsequent offence, a fine of up to £lOO and/or three months' imprisonment, and the licence must be cancelled for at least three years, ‘ unless the Court found special reason otherwise; after the expiry of the cancellation, consent of the Courtmust be obtained to secure a new licence. “Personally, I give my wholehearted support to this proposal,” said the Minister of Transport, Mr Semple. “Cancellation of licence is the greatest deterrent to offenders. Since I became Minister I don’t remember a single case of being approached concerning a fine, but I’ve had scores and scores of requests for restoration of cancelled licences. When people have spent £6OO or £7OO on a car they don’t want to be deprived of its use.” “I don’t think there’s any question that it’s the most efficient method," said Mr M. F. Luckie. “There was no difference of opinion on the sub-com-mittee on that point.”

A further proposal, also endorsed, was that the power of the Court to suppress the names of offenders should be withdrawn in the cases of drivers convicted of intoxication, except in special circumstances. It was recommended that third-party insurance protection should be allowed the victim but not the intoxicated driver. If the driver or person in charge of a car were convicted of intoxication in charge of it, or the Court attributed the accident' to such a fact, the insurance company should be empowered to recover from him any disbursements paid out on his behalf, under the Third Party Insurance Act, with regard to the accident.