12 August, Minsk /BELTA correspondent/. From 12 August, the permissible blood alcohol level in Belarus will be reduced from 0.5 to 0.3 per mille, the Traffic Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus informed a BELTA correspondent. The traffic police hope that this measure will help reduce the number of road traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers. A decrease in such accidents was noted in the first half of the year: 292 accidents occurred, which is 20% less than in the same period of 2010. The number of fatalities also decreased – 73 people (down 17%), as well as injuries – 341 people (down 20.5%). Despite the decrease in the number of accidents caused by alcohol enthusiasts, inspectors are detecting more and more drunk drivers on the roads. As of 1 July last year, this figure was around 24,000, and in the first half of 2011, more than 25,000 cases of driving under the influence were registered. In total, since the beginning of this year, the traffic police have recorded about 31.8 thousand such incidents. The State Automobile Inspectorate reminds that Article 18.16 "Driving a vehicle by a person in a state of intoxication, transferring control of a vehicle to such a person, or refusing to undergo examination (testing)" of the Code of Administrative Offences of Belarus provides for a fine ranging from 15 to 45 basic units (one basic unit is Br35 thousand), depending on the situation. Drivers may also be deprived of their driving license for up to three years. In addition, in addition to administrative responsibility, there is also criminal liability. A case may be initiated under Article 317-1 of the Criminal Code of Belarus, which provides for up to two years of imprisonment with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities. The traffic police emphasize that a drunk driver not only risks paying a large fine or even receiving a criminal record, but also endangers other road users. They should not suffer at all because of his addiction to alcohol. -0-

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