Drunk drivers to be punished without trial in Portugal

Drunk drivers to be punished without trial.

Pinto Monteiro gave instructions to 'negotiate' sanctions and standardize procedures. There are countries that already do, as in Montijo or Angra do Heroísmo.

PGR wants drivers with alcohol to be punished without going to trial. Pinto Monteiro ordered the prosecutor to chose, for example, community work. The attorney general's office wants to end with the crimes trials about driving while intoxicated. Pinto Monteiro sent a circular to all the prosecutors ordered the prosecutors that instead of judgment, to chose for the temporary suspension of the process, proposing to the defendant, for example, work community, monetary donation or attend a training action. In 2011 there were 23,274 cases of driving under the influence of alcohol - increase 5.5% to about 2010 (22,067). This crime is fifth in the ranking of most recorded by the police.

How do the police decide whether or not the driver is drunk, Pedro? Do they use breathalysers, or is it like parts of the US, where drivers have to prove they can walk in a straight line, etc?

bb1, the police carries breathalysers, that´s how the police knows if the driver is drunk or not, if the percentage of alcohol, is bigger than 0.5 g / l, the driver caught with this can be prohibited of driving for a huge amount of time. The maximum alcohol level permitted by the rules of the road code in Portugal is 0.5 g / l.

Pedro Silva wrote:bb1, the police carries breathalysers, that´s how the police knows if the driver is drunk or not, if the percentage of alcohol, is bigger than 0.5 g / l, the driver caught with this can be prohibited of driving for a huge amount of time. The maximum alcohol level permitted by the rules of the road code in Portugal is 0.5 g / l.

I do hope somebody lets Gonc know Pedro
But then again, this rule probably won't apply to him and his crooks. The way he drove with his daughter in the car, he should be banned from driving for life .

Yes Maggs, that is a good point, I agree with you. GA truly deserves it.

about fines to be payed by the driver caught:

the fines in Portugal for someone who is caught driving with alcohol is 500 euros, the registration of the vehicle or everything related with the vehicle, is aprehended in the place where the driver was caught.

Are they banned from driving as well, Pedro?

bb1, what I know is: according to Portuguese rules of road code, someone who is caught intoxicated with alcohol, is punished, but the punish is harder when exceeds the percentage allowed: 0.5 g / l.

I know that there were cases in which police officers, although off-duty, were caught intoxicated with alcohol, some of them more than 0.5 g / l. and payed the fines, when presented in court, also prohibited for driving for an huge amount of time.

That's good to hear, Pedro, there is no excuse at all for drink-driving, IMO.

Yes, I agree with you bb1.

I see the Lisbon police have been busy, Pedro:

http://www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/ultima-hora/psp-de-lisboa-detem-117-pessoas

PSP Lisbon holds 117 people
Lisbon Metropolitan Command PSP announced the arrest of 117 people between Friday and this morning, most for driving under the influence of alcohol, and the seizure of thousands of doses of hashish, heroin and cocaine.

According to a statement from PSP under the operational activities carried out between 07:00 on Friday and the same hours today in the Grand Lisboa, were also arrested 17 people for driving without legal authorization, five for drug trafficking, five for theft and 42 other crimes.
Were seized three weapons, two bats, a gas gun and more than 50,000 doses of hashish, heroin nine thousand and eight thousand of cocaine.

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I am sure the citizens of Lisbon will be glad to see that off their streets.

Yes, you´re right bb1. Until the end of Easter time, police, namely PSP, GNR, will be watching, looking for drunk drivers.