{"id":31203,"date":"2020-06-29T19:39:40","date_gmt":"2020-06-29T17:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monaco-tribune.com\/2020\/06\/drink-driving-the-never-ending-battle-in-monaco\/"},"modified":"2020-06-29T19:42:04","modified_gmt":"2020-06-29T17:42:04","slug":"drink-driving-the-never-ending-battle-in-monaco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monaco-tribune.com\/en\/2020\/06\/drink-driving-the-never-ending-battle-in-monaco\/","title":{"rendered":"Drink driving: the never-ending battle in Monaco"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Striking a balance between prevention and punishment can prove tough. But in the face of this, how can the scourge of drink-driving be curbed?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monaco\u2019s Court of First Instance tries an outsized number of \u201cdriving under the influence of alcohol\u201d cases. In a place like the Principality, where there are plenty of opportunities to let loose, drink-driving affects both young partygoers and law enforcement officers. The scale of the problem is such that Camille Gottlieb, Princess St\u00e9phanie\u2019s youngest daughter, has decided to tackle it via Be Safe, an association launched in 2017. Monaco\u2019s justice system, for its part, has recently been given a more comprehensive range of possible criminal sanctions. Between prevention and punishment, the Principality is dealing with the drunken excesses taking its drivers off-course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lockdown ends, drink-driving cases skyrocket<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It did not take long after easing lockdown for several Monaco residents to resume their bad habits. Audiences at the Court of First Instance’s hearings settled in comfortably to hear a number of drink-driving cases<\/a>, seeing a drunken cyclist, a reoffending croupier, and a leading figure of Monaco\u2019s defence team<\/a> get up on the stand. In Monaco, drink-driving affects tourists, wealthy residents, but also public figures. And with lockdown ending and the arrival of summer, the battle against drink-driving resumes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the traditional Police Department New Year\u2019s Address in January, Minister of the Interior Patrice Cellario gave an overview of crime in the Principality<\/a>. On the road, crime stats were on the rise. Driving offences under the influence of alcohol rose by 10%, as well as public drunk and disorderly cases by 42% compared to the previous year. As for post-lockdown figures, between May 4th (when lockdown began) and June 16th, six proceedings for driving under the influence of alcohol (known as CEEA in French) were handled by the police. \u201cFor the same period in 2019, the Head of the CEEA handled eight proceedings, \u201cthe Prince\u2019s Government stated. While \u201cthere has been no relaxing or explosion of cases after this very restrictive period\u201d, the situation is likely to change when nightclubs open. Hence the need to prevent an issue that many countries must also combat; drink driving is also responsible for a third of fatal accidents in France<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coherent policies with neighbouring countries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a report published in 2018<\/a>, the World Health Organisation (WHO) noted that the blood alcohol limit in Monaco is one of the strictest in the world, with a blood-alcohol threshold limited to 0.5g of alcohol per litre of blood. The same applies to its French and Italian neighbours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In France, since March 2019, regional prefects has been able to oblige someone charged with drink driving to use a vehicle equipped with an alcohol ignition lock device for at least six months, which the Criminal Court may then extend for up to five years. This measure is an alternative to having their driving licence suspended, allowing the offender to continue working and to go about normal life that a car may facilitate. However, it does not apply to repeat offenders nor offenders with a blood-alcohol level of more than 0.8g\/L, who have their licence suspended or revoked entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In November 2019, the French Minister of Agriculture Didier Guillaume even declared himself in favour of zero tolerance<\/a> for drinking and driving. However, this statement was quickly clarified by the prime minister\u2019s office, which assured that the Government were not considering changing the law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preventive action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How are Monaco\u2019s various institutions reacting to address this issue? When asked, the Prince\u2019s Government assured Monaco Tribune that the fight against drink-driving was one of its priorities. Police officers on the ground \u201cremain particularly vigilant\u201d and carry out systematic screening when the situation requires it \u2014 namely, during checks on drivers showing signs of being drunk at the wheel and also after traffic accidents. When someone\u2019s blood alcohol level exceeds the legal limit, the offender is subject to a criminal procedure forwarded to the Public Prosecution Department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, our role is to carry out preventive work regarding alcohol consumption<\/p>Patrice Cellario, Government Counsellor – Minister of the Interior<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Monaco is in party mode all year round, but summer is particularly prolific for those going too far, one too many an evening where the drinks are flowing. Thus, \u201cthe police force aims to prevent this directly in the vicinity of such establishments, particularly on weekends and public holidays, during the summer period and when important events are held\u201d, adds the Prince\u2019s Government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday, our role is to carry out preventive work regarding alcohol consumption,\u201d Patrice Cellario said<\/a> in a local daily Monaco Matin in August 2019. Yet preventing such an issue relies heavily on collective responsibility within the Principality. It translates, for example, into having a designated driver. In this interview, the Minister of the Interior emphasised how easy it is to travel within the Rock, whether on foot or by public transport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The response: is it getting stricter or not?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In concrete terms, what legal repercussions do drivers caught under the influence risk? We put the question to Mr Thomas Brezzo, a lawyer at the Monaco Bar and National Councillor. Driving under the influence of alcohol can lead to having your licence suspended for up to two years, with a sentence of up to four years if the level of intoxication can be proven when convicted. In comparison, under French law, the offence can be punished by up to two years\u2019 imprisonment and a fine of \u20ac4,500. Additional penalties can also be applied \u2014 your licence can be suspended or even revoked for a maximum of three years (with no possibility of applying for a new one), a ban on driving certain vehicles for a maximum of five years, daily fines or a road safety awareness course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the law provides for<\/a> \u201cthe abolition of imprisonment for minor offences, the introduction of the daily fines and the introduction of community service.\u201d Sentence adjustments will now take account of the convicted person\u2019s family, social and medical situation and \u201cpersonality\u201d. Does this mean that Monaco\u2019s legal arsenal will be laxer? Mr Brezzo explained that judges now have a more extensive range of sentences, but not less severe ones. Although for the first time the sentence may seem light, it remains a veritable Sword of Damocles that hangs over repeat offenders. So, the second conviction usually aims toward receiving treatment and the third conviction brings one directly behind bars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In any case, drink driving cases are regularly dealt with at the Palais de Justice since they represent four out of ten cases<\/a>. This would even be the primary offence dealt with by the Court of First Instance in cases involving drug offences, theft and receiving stolen goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Associations\u2019 commitment to good driving behaviour<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Associations are also involved in the fight against drink-driving. This is notably the case of Be Safe, an association created by five friends<\/a>, including Camille Gottlieb, the youngest daughter of Princess St\u00e9phanie. Established in 2017, Be Safe is committed to prevention and raising awareness of the dangers of drink driving, particularly among young people and their parents. It is a project that came into being after a tragedy, the road accident-related death of a friend of Camille Gottlieb. The tragedy occurred after a drunken evening in summer 2017. \u201cAfter this ordeal, we decided to come together to act, saying that it was not possible, that something had to be done,\u201d explained<\/a> Camille Gottlieb in an interview with Monaco Matin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On June 18th, the Mayor of Monaco Georges Marsan donated<\/a> an eight-seater vehicle to the organisation. \u201cI am sure that this vehicle will be put to good use and I sincerely hope that it will help you to continue the shuttle system, enabling young and old alike to return home safely, not only for themselves but others also, after those nights where too much has been drunk,\u201d the mayor said in a speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

On June 18th, Be Safe, a charity which combats drink-driving, founded by Princess St\u00e9phanie of Monaco\u2019s youngest daughter Camille Gottlieb,… https:\/\/t.co\/AU7x9cCsIc<\/a><\/p>— Monaco Tribune in English (@MonacoTribuneEN) June 22, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>