Risk or getting into car with drunk driver raised?

[rickfarang]

Its good to see the police being proactive with the huge problem of driving under the influence, which I personally feel has not had enough attention lately. This story shows significant and surprising differences between how things are handled here compare to some other countries.

 

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Police want to arrest passengers of drunk drivers as well

BANGKOK:

 

-- Bangkok's police are calling for passengers of drunk drivers to be punished as well, while seeking jail terms for drivers who are repeat offenders.

 

"Such measures should reduce the number of road accidents," Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lt-General Viroj Jantarangsi said Friday.

He said the passengers should face arrest for condoning drunk driving because they had agreed to let the drunk driver give them a ride.

Viroj said police would also ask the courts to send repeat drunk drivers to jail, especially if they were caught while still under probation from a previous drink driving offence.

 

Police stations across the capital had been instructed to set up 112 more checkpoints for drink driving, he said.

 

"We will take comprehensive details of drunk drivers upon their arrest. If they repeat the offence, we will propose that they are given a jail term," he said.

 

He said the Don't Drive Drunk Foundation would recruit media members into a mobile team that will be dispatched to cover drunk-driving arrests.

"Some drivers refuse to take the alcohol test when intercepted by police. In most cases they have been arrested before and hardly cooperate with police, so the media presence should help us a lot. These drivers are afraid of getting themselves in the news," Viroj said.

 

--The Nation 2005-11-05

[Mekong]

It may sound like a good idea, but I don't think it can work.

 

It would have to be made into an offense to be in a car with a drunk driver, but that means that it requires an unqualified opinion on the part of the passenger as to the blood-alcohol level of the person driving - don't forget that being over the legal limit doesn't always mean that you are obviously drunk - so how is the passenger supposed to know?

 

What if you are picked up from home or some venue by someone in their car.

 

How are you supposed to know if they have had anything to drink, and if they have, whether they are over the limit?

 

This concept is completely unrealistic - well meaning perhaps, but in real danger of infringing someones rights or liberties.

 

A passenger cannot always be in a position to tell if the driver is over the limit, even if they know that person has been drinking, which it is very possible they may not.

[FAT_AUSSIE]

I agree. totally, and I agree with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lt-General Viroj Jantarangsi in his attempt to look proactive.