Tuesday, 23 September 2014 - 11:35
No double punishment for drivers under the influence
Drivers who have had their cars fitted with the alcohol lock do not also have to appear in court for the same offense, the court in The Hague decided Monday. This is because people are not meant to be punished twice for the same crime, NU.nl reports.
The alcohol lock is a device that drivers have to blow into to measure the alcohol level in their blood. If the level is too high, then the motor will not start. This device is placed in cars of people who have been found to have too high levels of alcohol in their blood. For starting drivers, this is between 1 and 1.8 per mile, with experienced drivers it's 1.3 per mile.
The Central Bureau for Driving Skill Licenses (CBR) decides which drivers will have their cars fitted with the alcohol lock. Officially, it is not a penalty, but an 'administrative measure'. For the court, however, the lock is a penalty, and has decided that the Public Prosecution Authority will not be able to prosecute the recipient further.