Hundreds of officers, volunteers deployed to roads, highways near entertainment districts, and dozens of spot road checks set up.
By YAAKOV LAPPINWoman driving 311(photo credit: Thinkstock)
Traffic Police caught more than 230 drivers on the road under the influence of alcohol on New Year’s Eve on Saturday.Hundreds of officers and volunteers, backed by officers from other units and the Military Police, were deployed throughout the country to roads and highways near entertainment districts, and dozens of spot road checks were set up.Drivers who failed breathalyzer tests had their licenses revoked on the spot and their vehicles impounded for 30 days. Police summoned them for a court appearance as well.Traffic Police spokesman Yigal Habsur told The Jerusalem Post the increased enforcement was focused around areas filled with bars and clubs, and was designed to protect the lives of motorists.RELATED:Editorial: Halting drunk drivingDrunk driver sentenced to 7.5 years for manslaughterPolice were not seeking to fill quotas for drunk driving reports, he added.
“We’d rather have a smaller number of reports that end with indictments than a high number of reports that end in nothing,” he said.In the police’s southern district, 2,559 drivers were breathalyzed. Of those, 63 were found to be over the legal alcohol limit.Police and state prosecutors announced heavier punishments for traffic offenses last week, including driving under the influence of alcohol, which is now punishable with the loss of a license for two to three years. In cases involving a very high alcohol level, prosecutors will seek prison sentences for drivers.Drivers caught speeding recklessly will face the prospect of having their license revoked and a suspended prison sentence.
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