Dubinskyi initiates mandatory imprisonment for drivers repeatedly caught drunk driving

MP Aleksandr Dubinskyi initiates toughening of responsibility for driving under the influence (alcohol, drugs, etc.). To be precise, he proposes to introduce the mandatory imprisonment of a person who has repeatedly been convicted of drinking while driving for at least three years.

Dubinskyi submitted the relevant bill to the Verkhovna Rada: “On Amendments to Article 286 (1) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (concerning increasing responsibility for driving in a state of alcoholic, narcotic, and other intoxication)”.

According to it:

• during the first recording of the fact of driving in a drunken state, the fine rises from 1-2 thousand tax-free minimum incomes (with confiscation of driving license up to 3 years) to 2-3 thousand minimum incomes (confiscation of driving license for 3-5 years);

• in case of repeated violation, instead of a fine of up to 3 thousand minimums with the confiscation of driving license for 2-3 years, imprisonment for a period of 3 to 8 years with the confiscation of driving license for 3-5 years is introduced.

The criminalization of the DUI offense should stop the increase in fatal traffic accidents. Higher fines do not produce such an effect, which is confirmed by the official statistics.

In 2019, the number of accidents involving drunk drivers that resulted in people being killed or injured increased by a quarter and reached 1216 (115.7 thousand drivers were held accountable). Overall, 106 people died and 1,600 victims were injured. The situation is only getting worse. Just within five months of 2020, 1664 drunk driving cases were recorded in Ukraine:

• 300 car accidents with victims;

• 386 people injured;

• 49 people died.

Andrey Pshenichnyi for the site dubinsky.pro

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