Roadside Sobriety Bill Awaits Governor’s Assent
With the Roadside Sobriety Checkpoint Bill having passed through the Senate, Attorney-General Kathy Lightbourne-Simmons said she is pleased to know that the Bill will now move to Governor Rankin’s office for final assent.
Minister of Transport and Regulatory Affairs Walter Roban commented, “It is our aim to introduce measures which will bring awareness, shape behavior and yield safer road conditions for all motorists.”
The Ministry said, “The Roadside Sobriety Bill will introduce police measures that aim to curb drunk driving, create safer road conditions for motorists and ultimately, save lives.
“The Roadside Sobriety Checkpoint Bill includes three notable points:
- “A road sobriety checkpoint is a specific kind of roadblock, arranged on public roads, that allows for the administration of breath tests to determine whether a motorist is driving while intoxicated. They serve to prevent motorists from driving under the influence of alcohol by detecting drivers who violate the traffic laws.
- “Checkpoints can be requested by the Bermuda Police Service when there is reasonable suspicion that incidents involving the consumption of alcohol may take place [Bermuda Heroes Weekend, Cup Match, etc.] All requests must be submitted to the Senior Magistrate.
- “Notice advising the public of the date and parish in which the road sobriety testing will occur will be published in the Gazette 5-14 days before the date of the checkpoint.”
“Notice advising the public of the date and parish in which the road sobriety testing will occur will be published in the Gazette 5-14 days before the date of the checkpoint.”
While I’m in favour of anything that reduces this scourge, this latter point defeats the point somewhat.
Not so much if they set up at Barnes Corner, Somerset Bridge or Blue Hole Hill!
The prior notice is only for a short introductory period . After that , there will be no notification of where checkpoints will be setup .
This needs explainging:
“Checkpoints can be requested by the Bermuda Police Service when there is reasonable suspicion that incidents involving the consumption of alcohol may take place [Bermuda Heroes Weekend, Cup Match, etc.] All requests must be submitted to the Senior Magistrate.
The consumption of alcohol happens every day. Does this mean this is a very limited exercise? I am confused
raise the drinking age to 21, no advertising of alcohol in public places & media, digital breathalyzer testers required wherever alcohol is served for patrons to know if they are over limit, more public education on the health risks of excessive drinking of alcohol, better programs to help addicts beat their dependency on alcohol, & all of this should be paid by those who have profited the most off of the sales of alcohhol. None of these ideas will ever be embraced because too much money is being made off of the suffering of others…
You better believe that none of these ideas will even be considered, the people that run this island are wicked but they will soon see that what they sow so shall they reep!
It seems the fines and time off the road for DUI, even with refusal to take the test, near crashes and pulling chase involved, is decreasing judging by the last few reports.
They should start their testing right outside police recreation club and bar.
Why are we paying out MP’s again??? What a waste this bill is.
Is driving around Hamilton talking to a motorbike rider driving along next to you still illegal?
A wonderful move. I hope it is set up on 2 and 3 August on Somerset Bridge!
Yeah well guess what, Government and Governor. I do not drink or drive dangerous and I never had an accident in 20 years on the road. I will refuse to put that filthy disease-riddled mouthpiece in my mouth to blow on it. And then what? You will arrest me and charge me as a criminal guilty as if I had been driving drunk? You people are deformed and sick in the head, you are implementing Orwell’s 1984, and you know it. The Eye sees all, and My Eye is the biggest and most powerful of all yours. Don’t mess with God. I am not breathing in other people’s filthy germs and STD’s into my precious Temple of my body. And all you who force me to will reap the consequences of an enraged God Almighty. All knees shall bow…
With your superpowers you’ll never have to blow into the thing.
When you get pulled over in your chariot of fire you just pull that Jedi mind trick on the cops .. lol
You do know that everytime they get u to blow into one its a brand new mouthpiece that gets attached to it right? Kind of like hospitals with needles and the like. Lol.
So does this mean we will be seeing more funding to the Police so that they can get all their gear in order and have enough people to do this as well as every thing else?