Police nab 22 motorists for drink-driving in island-wide operation

Twenty-two motorists who got behind the wheel despite having had too much to drink were nabbed by the traffic police in an island-wide operation on Thursday, April 17, 2014. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
Twenty-two motorists who got behind the wheel despite having had too much to drink were nabbed by the traffic police in an island-wide operation on Thursday, April 17, 2014. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

Twenty-two motorists who got behind the wheel despite having had too much to drink were nabbed by the traffic police in an island-wide operation early Thursday morning.

The police said in a statement that a total of 72 drivers were stopped and tested for alcohol consumption at road blocks in various parts of Singapore. Of these, 22 men aged between 22 and 60 were arrested for drink-driving.

The highest Breath Evidential Analyser (BEA) test result recorded during the operation was 82 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, which is more than twice the prescribed legal limit of 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

If convicted, motorists will lose their driving licenses and have to retake their theory and practical driving tests to drive again. They will also be disqualified from driving for at least a year. First-time offenders can be fined between $1,000 and $5,000, while repeat offenders can be punished with a maximum fine of $30,000 and a mandatory jail term of up to three years. They may also be caned up to six strokes if death or serious injury is involved.

Deputy Commander of the Traffic Police, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Deryl Ang said the court took drink driving offences seriously, and one could expect harsher penalties with higher alcohol levels.

He cautioned: "Traffic police will continue with our enforcement efforts so that drink drivers would get due punishment for their irresponsible behaviour."

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