SINGAPORE: Thirty-one motorists will be charged in court with drink-driving offences on Aug 20.
In a statement on Aug 19, the police said the motorists, aged between 24 and 61, were arrested between May and July after failing breathalyser tests during enforcement checks.
Two of them, aged 28 and 35, face additional charges for leaving their vehicles in positions causing undue inconvenience to other road users.
The two male motorists were found asleep behind the wheels of their vehicles along Nicoll Highway and Lorong 1 Geylang on July 12 and July 26 respectively.
In doing so, their vehicles were left in positions that obstructed traffic and potentially caused danger or inconvenience to other road users, said the police.
“Investigations revealed that they had driven after consuming alcohol,” the police added.
If convicted of drink driving, motorists can be fined between $2,000 and $10,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both.
Repeat offenders can be fined between $5,000 and $20,000 and jailed for up to two years. They may also be barred from driving all classes of vehicles.
Those convicted of leaving a vehicle in a position causing undue inconvenience to others can be fined up to $2,000, jailed for up to three months, or both.
Repeat offenders can be fined up to $5,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.
The police said in the statement that driving under the influence of alcohol is an extremely dangerous and irresponsible act, and they will not hesitate to take firm action against motorists who drink and drive.
On Aug 4, Parliament passed new traffic laws that slashed the alcohol limits for drivers by more than half, from 35 micrograms (mcg) of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 15mcg.
The blood alcohol limit of 80 milligrams (mg) of alcohol per 100ml will be lowered to 30mg.
Under the new law, first-time offenders with very high blood alcohol levels, who would typically be fined and banned from driving, may face up to 12 months’ jail. - Straits Times/ANN
