Intoxication In Cars

Press, Volume C, Issue 29554, 1 July 1961, Page 10

Intoxication In Cars

The proposal that a person sleeping in the back seat of a parked car should not be liable to conviction for being intoxicated in charge of the vehicle requires the most careful consideration before it is adopted. Any carelessness in drinking by persons with cars should be discouraged rather than encouraged. The proposal, which would limit the offence to driving or attempting to drive while intoxicated, has already been discussed at some length since it was first made at a meeting of the Automobile Association (Canterbury) a few years ago. Since the Transport Department is now reported to be interested, the disadvantages of such an amendment to the law are probably not great The chief advantage claimed for it is that it would persuade some persons who unwittingly drink too much to sleep in their cars instead

of trying to drive home before they are caught by traffic officers or police. Certainly intoxicated persons would be much less of a menace sleeping quietly in the back seat of a parked car than they would be if they moved off without proper control of themselves or their cars. Instances of persons who are prosecuted for prudently “sleeping it off” are occasionally reported. If the traffic authorities could analyse these cases they might be able to show how far the present law operates unfairly or unwisely in regarding such persons as being “ in charge ” of their cars. The conclusion might be that a minor relaxation of the statute would be justified by a small reduction in the danger from intoxicated drivers. But it should be made plain that this would not condone drinking to the point of ■ stupor by anyone in charge .of a car.