Tough new penalties to crack down on drink drivers have come into effect, ensuring drivers think twice before getting behind the wheel while under the influence.
Every drink driving offender will face a mandatory three-year period where they must have a blood alcohol content of zero.
This mandatory three-year period applies to all drink driving offenders from the time they successfully complete their court-mandated Alcohol Interlock Program.
The Alcohol Interlock Program requires drink driving offenders to install a breath-testing device in their vehicle which records any alcohol detected – offenders must have an interlock device in their car for at least between six months or up to four years depending on the severity of their offence.
Victoria has some of the strongest penalties for drink driving in the country – first-time drink drivers who record a blood alcohol reading between .05 and .069 lose their licences for a minimum of three months and must have alcohol interlocks fitted to their vehicles for a minimum of six months.
Drink driving remains one of the most significant contributors to Victoria’s road toll – since 2023 around one in four drivers who have lost their lives on Victorian roads have had a blood alcohol concentration of .05 or above.
These new penalties send a clear message that the government is serious about reducing these preventable injuries and fatalities on our roads.
