Multiple drink driving cases in Esperance Court last week saw the magistrate reminding offenders that the risk was just too high.
The latest Government statistics show 96 people died on Australian roads last month with 15 fatalities in WA. This data revealed that the number of road deaths increased consistently over the last four years, especially in WA and the NT.
Driving under the influence remains one of the biggest causes of road deaths in WA with an average of 40 people killed every year in alcohol-related crashes.
Last week, three members of the Esperance community caught driving under the influence appeared before the magistrate to receive a sentence.
The offenders, aged between 19-30, were charged $2400, $2400 and $1150 with licence suspensions ranging from nine to 18 months.
Magistrate Paul Lyons reminded the offenders it was not worth the risk and the consequences could have been much greater.
“You are not aware of how intoxicated you are, so you are a risk to yourself and to others,” he said.
Magistrate Lyons said he knew Esperance may not have the options for transport available in Perth or other major cities, but that there were “other services available” to avoid drink driving.
Esperance senior sergeant Police Chris Taylor said there were lots of other options to get home.
“Get friends or family to pick you up,” he said.
“If you don’t have another way home, don’t drink.”
Snr Sgt Taylor said there was an increasing number of DUI offences in Esperance and urged people not to run the risk because they would be caught.
“We are targeting drink driving more than ever,” he said.
Photo: Photo by energepic.com
