High Range Drink Driving Heavy Vehicle
A driver who holds a professional driver’s license and is qualified to drive a heavy vehicle must adhere to the blood alcohol content of 0.0%.
This means that when a driver operates his heavy vehicle on the roadway, he must not imbibe alcohol. If a professional driver is caught with the prescribed blood alcohol content, his license will be suspended. This means that he cannot work as a driver and this means loss of income.
A professional driver who operates a truck or heavy vehicle cannot drive while under the influence of a prescribed or regulated drug, either. If he is stopped randomly by the police, he will be suspended and he will be unable to drive for the time of his suspension or disqualification.
Penalties for heavy vehicle drink driving
The maximum penalty that the Court can impose for a drink driving offence depends on:
- your BAC reading; and
- whether you have had another major traffic offence in the past 5 years.
The maximum penalties are: (31/08/12)
|
Offence |
Maximum fine |
Maximum jail |
Automatic disqualification |
Minimum disqualification |
|
First Offence |
||||
|
Special Range PCA |
$1,100 |
Nil |
6 months |
3 months |
|
Low Range PCA |
$1,100 |
Nil |
6 months |
3 months |
|
Mid Range PCA |
$2,200 |
9 months |
12 months |
6 months |
|
High Range PCA |
$3,300 |
18 months |
3 years |
12 months |
|
Drive under the influence (DUI) |
$2,200 |
9 months |
12 months |
6 months |
|
Refuse breath analysis |
$3,300 |
18 months |
3 years |
12 months |
|
Second Offence |
||||
|
Offence |
Maximum fine |
Maximum jail |
Automatic disqualification |
Minimum disqualification |
|
Special Range PCA |
$2,200 |
Nil |
12 months |
6 months |
|
Low Range PCA |
$2,200 |
Nil |
12 months |
6 months |
|
Mid Range PCA |
$3,300 |
12 months |
3 years |
12 months |
|
High Range PCA |
$5,500 |
2 years |
5 years |
2 years |
|
Drive under the influence (DUI) |
$3,300 |
12 months |
3 years |
12 months |
|
Refuse breath analysis |
$5,500 |
2 years |
5 years |
3 years |
If the driver of a truck of heavy vehicle figures in an impact or collision while he is under the influence of alcohol or a drug, a disqualification is the lease of his worries as he will also face an indictable offense for dangerous driving especially if there is damage to property, grievous bodily harm or death occasioned by the driver while he was driving dangerously under the influence of alcohol.
