In 2024 police detained 91,300 people driving under the influence of alcohol, which means a decrease in the erstwhile year by over 4,339 cases. This is simply a success, but inactive besides many drivers decide to drive drunk, putting themselves and others in danger. The tightening of penalties against drunk drivers is frequently raised as a solution, but is it truly effective?
Łukasz Zboralski, a road safety and infrastructure expert, believes that tightening penalties is not the solution for all drunk drivers. Many people who drive alcohol are people who endure from alcohol illness who are incapable to control their behavior. In specified cases, it makes no sense to lift a fine, due to the fact that they will not even be detained by the possible of 30 or 40 years in prison.
Zboralski believes that car confiscation is an effective method for occasional users who decide to drive drunk. The fact that we take distant their cars, making it hard for them to get into it again and drive, and then the bidding, makes coming back behind the wheel, despite the ban, very difficult.
However, Zboralski believes that it is not the đủ to solve the problem of drunk drivers. A better solution would be to supply treatment for people suffering from alcohol disease. The expert suggests that those detained for driving drunk have a mandatory conversation with an addict scientist who could diagnose whether it's a one-off or a more serious problem.
According to police data, in 2024 as many as 70% of drivers who caused an accident under the influence of alcohol had higher alcohol levels than 1 promil. That means that these people were much more intoxicated than those who had alcohol levels below 1 prom.
Zboralski believes that education and prevention are crucial in preventing drunken driving. People should be aware of the dangers of driving after alcohol and of the consequences that may happen to those who choose to do so.
It is worth noting that Slovakia has a akin problem with drunk drivers, but this country has introduced compulsory talks with a scientist for people detained for driving drunk. This helps to diagnose the problem and supply therapy for those who request it.
Poland lacks specified solutions, and people who request aid frequently do not get them. Zboralski believes that there should be more spending on prevention and education to reduce the number of drunk drivers on Polish roads.
It is besides worth noting that Technology can aid prevent drunken driving. Many modern cars have safety systems that detect the driver's inebriation and halt the car. These are solutions that can halt a drunk driver before he causes an accident.
In conclusion, reducing the number of drunk drivers on Polish roads requires a multifaceted approach. Exacerbating penalties, car confiscation, education and prevention are all crucial elements that can aid prevent drunk driving. However, providing therapy and assistance for people suffering from alcohol illness is crucial to solve the problem of drunk drivers.
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Road safety: How to reduce the number of drunk drivers?
