As we head into Christmas, some of us are getting merry – maybe a little too merry.
If the research commissioned by the alcohol industry works, enough is enough for the rest of us.
A poll conducted by Curia for the Alcohol Beverages Council, an industry representative group, found many supporters in favor of heavier fines for drinking and disorderly conduct and the confiscation of vehicles from habitual drunk drivers. I was.
However, the first proposed reduction was an assistance program aimed at harmful drinkers. The approval rating is 88%, which is 7% higher than last year’s survey.
Council Vice-President Robert Brewer said it “makes perfect sense”.
“People who raise their hands and say they have a problem need specific support because when you say you have a specific It’s going to pass,” he told Checkpoint.
About the same number (82% net) wanted the vehicle of a repeat drunk driver confiscated. Brewer was unsure about it and preferred non-punitive measures.
“We have a significant percentage of vehicle confiscations from repeat drunk drivers each year. I think we were number two this year and number three last year.”
“However, we can see that the fourth uses an alcohol interlock, which is what we advocate for compulsory use.”
The interlock will stop the car from starting if the person attempting to drive fails a breath test. These are his fourth most popular reduction measure in the survey, with 65% net support.
Wellington police on Friday said they were disappointed after testing 2,500 drivers on Thursday night and finding 15 of them exceeded the limit.
Other popular measures the survey posed included educational programs in schools (76% net support), heavier fines for drinking and disorderly conduct (62%), and the imposition of “minor alcohol-related offenses” by police. included allowing spot fines to be issued against (52%).
Brewer said the findings aren’t surprising, but noted that DUI convictions have been declining for years, with the annual figure down 44% over the past decade. did.
“It’s a combination of us drinking less. It’s becoming a slow and steady cultural change because of different things. It’s just not cool… my son, he’s He never drank, never drank, and never drove a car. In fact, he was a sober driver most of the time.
rnz.co.nz