Dutch govt. pays €450,000 to drunk drivers that got double punishment

The Dutch government paid a sum of 450 thousand euros to 391 motorists who had an alcohol lock imposed on them after a drunk driving infraction. Another 11 people still have outstanding claims amounting to tens of thousands of euros, according to figures AD got from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment. The government has to pay these claims due to a ruling by the Council of State in March last year. The Council ruled that offenders should not be punished by both the Central Bureau for Driving Proficiency (CBR) and the criminal courts, agreeing with a ruling made by the court in The Hague in September 2014. Those affected by such a double punishment can file a claim for reimbursement of the costs of the alcohol lock, CBR fees and cost of a new licence. In addition to the compensation, the government also loses 2.7 million euros spent on development of the alcohol lock and 1.6 million euros in legal fees so far. On Wednesday the SWOV called for alcohol locks to be used more, as traditional measures such as licence suspension does not work on hardcore drunk drivers.