Baillieu to fix drink-drive loophole
THE Baillieu government has vowed to stamp out a loophole allowing drivers to consume alcohol, provided they are below the legal blood-alcohol limit.
Unlike every other state and territory, Victoria has no laws preventing people behind the wheel from chugging back a beer, sipping a wine or slamming back a shot of spirits, provided they are under the 0.05 legal limit. Premier Ted Baillieu said the government was aware of the loophole and would be acting to close it.
''Quite obviously you shouldn't be able to drink and drive, you shouldn't drink and drive at all - but it would be absurd to maintain any loophole that allowed people to sit behind the wheel and drink,'' Mr Baillieu said.
''Most Victorians would have already got the message that it's unacceptable to drink and drive and we will close any loophole that currently exists.''
Attorney-General Robert Clark will be drafting laws to close the loophole during the first half of next year. It follows a horror month on Victoria's roads that has so far claimed 23 lives, compared to just 12 in November 2010.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/baill ... z1eNl9hFKs
