17 motorists arrested for drink-driving

SINGAPORE – Police have arrested 17 motorists for drink-driving in an islandwide operation conducted in the early hours of yesterday (July 25). Traffic Police tested 61 drivers for alcohol consumption at various road blocks, and 17 of them, all men aged between 21 and 55, failed the breathalyser test.

Police said one of the drivers had 67 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, which is almost double the prescribed legal limit of 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

If convicted, the men will be disqualified from driving for at least 12 months. They will lose their driving licences and have to retake and pass the theory and practical driving tests in order to obtain their driving licences again.

In addition, first-time offenders can be fined between S$1,000 and S$5,000. Depending on their breathalyser test results, their driving licences could be disqualified for a period of 12 to 48 months.

Repeat offenders face a maximum fine of S$30,000 and a mandatory jail term of up to three years. They may also get up to six strokes of the cane if they cause death or serious injury. CHANNELNEWSASIA