Image credit: Thanh Tu Tran
Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh.
If you’re going to break the law – and of course we strongly recommend you don’t – then you probably want to steer clear of the police whilst doing so.
Indeed, this was not how things played out for one driver in Northwich, England, who, under the influence of alcohol, drove his car just about as close as physically possible to dropping himself off directly into police custody after he crashed his vehicle right outside the local police station.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of Saturday 27 March 2021 when the driver was caught up in the untimely collision at Northwich Police Station.
As one would expect, police were quick to rush out and subsequently arrest the driver.
He was also breath tested and provided two positive samples.
He was found to be very much over the drink driving limit, confirming officers’ assumptions that he had indeed enjoyed several cold drinks earlier that evening.
Northwich Police Satirically Praise Offender for “Handing Themselves In” Following Drink Driving Incident
Following the incident, Northwich Police took quite a satirical turn in informing the public of the awkward drink driving arrest, sarcastically praising the offender for “handing themselves in”.
On the Northwich Police Twitter page, the force wrote: “If you do drink and drive, please be so kind to hand yourselves in like this chap.”
They added, “The driver was arrested in the early hours and later provided two positive samples of breath”.
Images of the partially smashed red vehicle stopped just a few metres from the front door of the police station were also provided.
In the photos, debris from the smash can be seen.
Certainly, the official tweet from Northwick Police provided a great deal of amusement for users across social media.
Many comically praised the driver’s “self-service delivery” that saw him saving the police a lot of footwork.
“Even had the decency to miss the lamp posts!” one user commented.
Another user wrote, “Oh dear, what a way to hand yourself in! bet they’ve got a sore head this morning”.
Others echoed the humorous sentiment, jesting with comments including, “Very considerate of them to do it outside the station,” and, “At least he did most of the work, give him credit for that”.
Nevertheless, not everyone saw the funny side of the story.
One user responded to the banter by addressing he fact that the crash barriers had not done their job to prevent the car from mounting the pavement.
“Further proof that these fences will not save you from a driver like this and are only there to funnel pedestrians to a particular crossing point,” the user wrote.
Another social media user simply remarked, “Stupid idiot driver”.
Transport for NSW: “One Person Killed or Hospitalised Every 41 Minutes Because of a Crash on NSW Roads”
In recent years, the Transport for NSW toughened penalties for drink drivers in the hope of deterring the offence and reducing alcohol-related incidents on the roads.
Indeed, research from the body shows that one person is killed or hospitalised every 41 minutes because of a crash on NSW roads, and frequently, this is due to drink drivers.
As such, early in 2021, Transport for NSW also initiated its Road Safety Plan 2021, which sets out priority areas and actions – some of which include saving lives on country roads, building a safer community culture, and proven vehicle technology – to move the state towards achieving the NSW Government’s target of reducing fatalities by 30 percent.
Ultimately, the initiative seeks a long-term goal of zero trauma on the NSW road network.
High-Range Drink Driving Offences NSW
In NSW, the penalties for high-range drink driving are substantial – reflecting the seriousness of the crime.
For first-time offenders, maximum penalties reach up to 18 months in jail, or a fine of $3,300, or both, along with a compulsory licence disqualification of 6-9 months plus an interlock period for minimum two years.
For second-time or subsequent offenders, the maximum penalty increases to up to 24 months in jail, or a fine of $5,500, or both. This is in addition to the compulsory disqualification period of nine months to one year, along with a minimum interlock period of four years.
Need to speak to an experienced drink driving lawyer in Sydney? Call our friendly team today.