As police forces around the Country launch their Christmas drink-drive campaigns, drivers in Kent stand to lose their licence within 90 minutes if found guilty of driving drunk.
Kent Police are using a system of video links between stations and courts meaning that suspects aren’t released from custody before appearing in front of magistrates. Licences can be taken away immediately if drivers plead or are found guilty rather than defendants being able to continue driving while on bail.
Dep Ch Con Alan Pughsley said: ‘The virtual court system means the defendant risks losing their licence on the day of charge.’
Around the UK thousands of alcohol tests will be carried at all times of the day and night. Those who may still be drunk from the night before are amongst those being targeted.
Acpo’s head of roads policing, Dep Ch Con Suzette Davenport, said: ‘People often ask how much they can safely have to drink before driving.
‘The simple answer is that the only true safe drink-drive limit is none.’
A total of 170,000 drivers were breath-tested during the month-long national crackdown last year, with 6,662 arrests made.
There were 250 deaths and 1,230 serious injuries directly linked to collisions involving drink and drug driving last year, provisional figures suggest.
A trial scheme of the Kent video stream courts last year resulted in 11 people receiving disqualifications, with one appearing before magistrates 81 minutes after being charged.
Source Metro News
