Policing target for the month of December 2005

With the end of year festivities, the Traffic Branch and the Police Road Safety Unit is putting a lot of emphasis on drunken driving and speeding, to ensure that our roads are much safer during this period of festivity.

There will be several teams patrolling every regions of the island towns, villager and along the motorway performing stop checks, verification of vehicles as to their roadworthiness, speed checks and alcotest exercises.

Drunken Driving

	Police will develop a zero tolerance approach towards drunken drivers, so it is strongly advisable not to drink and drive.
	It is to be remaindered that the legal permissible limits are: - 50 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 ml of blood. - 67 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 ml of wine. - 23 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 ml of breath.
	The penalties are - 1st conviction – Fine not less than Rs 10,000 and not more than Rs 25,000 - Imprisonment is permissible and it is not more than 6 months. - Disqualification of driving licence is permissible. - Fine not less than Rs 20,000 and not more than Rs 50,000. - Imprisonment is obligatory and it is not less than 12 months. - Disqualification of driving licence is obligatory.
	Here is an approximate reference to remain safely under the legal permissible limit. - 1 tot of whisky or Rhum. - 1 pint of beer (chopine) - 1 glass of wine
	N.B - It can vary accordingly among different person due to the interplay of various factors, but it is a safe reference to be taken into consideration.

The only factor that can eliminate alcohol in blood is the time factor and it varies from 0.10 mg to 0.15 mg in one hour.

Note:- 728 drivers have been tested positive in the year 2005 from 1st January to 28th December. For the period 19th December to 27th December 2005, 35 drivers have been tested positive.

Speeding

Speeding is a major cause of fatal road accident. Speeding wrecks the lives of millions of people on the world's roads. It is to be noted that the world's first death by motor vehicle happened on the 17th of August 1896 at Crystal Palace in London. It was caused by speeding:

Source: World's first road death. London, Road Peace.

To deter speeding , Police will carry speed checks islandwise during the day and night.

Source (the official highway code)