THE WA Government are getting tough on drink drivers with new alcohol interlock laws which came into effect from Monday, October 24.
High end and repeat drink drivers will be required to install an alcohol interlock in their vehicle, if convicted of particular drink driving offences.
Offences include drivers which record a blood alcohol content of 0.15 or more or dangerous driving causing death or injury where DUI was an element
Other offences are any dangerous driving causing bodily harm where DUI was an element or two offences within five years having a blood alcohol content between 0.05 per cent and 0.149 per cent or failure to comply with giving a breath sample.
Road Safety Commissioner Kim Papalia said the WA Alcohol Interlock Scheme was not retrospective, so all drivers would start with a clean slate from Monday.
“This is a chance for those drivers convicted of drink driving offences in the past to change their behaviour, and not get behind the wheel of a vehicle if they have been drinking,” he said.
Convicted drink drivers who wish to drive after the initial disqualification period will have an ‘I’ condition placed on their licence for at least six months and must pay to have the alcohol interlock device installed by an approved service provider.
Vehicles will also have to be presented to a service provider every month for the performance data to be monitored, at the cost of the interlock driver which is estimated to be $1600 over a six-month period.
Offenders who do not have an interlock fitted will not be allowed to drive.
It is expected between 4000 and 6000 high end and repeat drink drivers will be required to enter the WA Alcohol Interlock Scheme every year.
Smart Start Interlocks is set to become a certified supplier of the interlock system, its owner John Doherty spoke to WAToday and said the device would not inhibit any existing functions of the vehicle other than the starting circuit which connects into the indicator and horn for warning signals.
Mr Doherty said participants would be contacted by an agent to come back and collect their car and watch videos and do some training on using the device.
Mr Doherty said the systems are leased on a monthly-payment basis, with participants having to pay an installation fee.
Passmore Automotive is an agent for Smartstart in Busselton. The service area is a 150km radius from their workshop.
According to WA Police, to September 30 this year, 45 people were killed on WA roads where alcohol was suspected in a driver or motorcycle rider.
