Higher sentences for DUI offenders
Drivers under the influence of drugs, alcohol or without a driving license who may get involved in accidents will serve jail sentences, the Romanian Senate has decided
România Internațional, 07.02.2023, 13:50
The Senate in Bucharest has almost unanimously endorsed an amendment to the Criminal Code, under which the people driving under the influence of alcohol or other banned substances, as well as those found without a driving license will receive jail sentences if they are involved in an accident with victims. About 100 people are losing their lives every year in road accidents caused by these categories of drivers in Romania, a country ranking for the fifth year in a row first in Europe in terms of the people killed in traffic accidents.
Every year almost 20 thousand people are being sent to courts for driving without a license or under the influence. Initiated by Robert Cazanciuc, PSD Senator and former Justice Minister and endorsed by a group of PNL and PSD MPs, the bill was reintroduced in the Parliamentary circuit in November 2022.
According to the initiator, “the bill was rejected by the decision-making chamber in 2019, out of absurd political reasons in defiance of the societys general interest in the real protection of life and putting an end to the carnage on Romanias motorways, including through higher punishment aimed at preventing such deeds”. Senator Cazanciuc says that he dedicates this legislative initiative to the memory of Anastasia, the little girl, who in 2022, right on Childrens Day and at the age of only four, was killed by a woman who was driving a vehicle at high speed without having a driving license.
Cazanciuc has announced his intention to propose a new amendment to the Traffic Code so that drivers who have killed people in traffic accidents may get a life-time suspension of their driving license.
“Let us be clearly understood. I dont want anyone to go to prison, but if somebody did, that means that somebody else died. And this is an alarm signal for all of us. When we are seeing someone at a party who has consumed banned substances we must prevent them from getting behind the wheel. This law isnt enough, well also have to amend the Traffic Code so that those who have done such deeds may never again get behind the wheel.” According to the 2021 activity report of the Public Ministry, the number of offenders sent to court after being involved in deadly car accidents increased significantly as compared to the year 2020, from 396 to 473. The Liberals have also endorsed the law adding that this is a signal for responsibility – as in situations like these, the judge will not be able to suspend the sentence. And before sitting behind the wheel, people will have to think, if something goes wrong, Ill go straight to jail. The document will be further submitted to the Chamber of Deputies, which is a decision-making forum in this case.
(bill)
