GOVERNMENTS have poured millions of dollars into federal and state campaigns over the years in an effort to rein in drink-drivers, but it seems the message isn’t hitting home with Orange drivers.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Every week in Orange Local Court when you crunch the numbers at least six drivers come before the courts for being over the limit.
In December on one court sitting day 11 drivers appeared, which is certainly not a statistic this city should boast.
Our court reporter notes that in most instances they are the average citizen who just hasn’t taken on board any of the advice in the media from campaigns telling drivers they will be caught.
And the fact is they are being caught, and it appears to be a pattern well established in Orange.
Again at the weekend police pulled over another two drivers who blew over the limit.
One came under notice for swerving all over the road and the other for driving with no headlights before they were booked.
Which begs the question of why these drivers don’t get the message they are actually putting the lives of other drivers at risk.
In today’s story on page 3 magistrate Michael Allen says he is at a loss as to why drivers in Orange continue to flout the law.
Drink-drivers in Orange are costing the courts thousands of dollars not only in court appearances, but through the compulsory driver education courses that are ordered by the courts before drivers come back to court for sentencing.
Some drivers aren’t happy with the ruling and take up even more court time by appealing the severity of the time they have lost their licence.
Sit in Orange court on any day when drink-drivers appear and they are invariably sorry after the fact, and plead with the court to retain their licence.
Because after all living in a rural area it’s a case of lose your licence, lose your job, as public transport is not as readily available as it is in metropolitan areas.
