BRATISLAVA, January 31, (WEBNOVINY) — Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic plans to amend the Traffic Code by this summer. In the coming weeks, experts are to submit their proposals to the ministry. The new law should come into force in the summer. The amended law is to be tough on drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol. “The problem is drinking and driving. Sometimes it causes the most tragic accidents. With alcohol, a car turns into a weapon. We want it to be classified as a crime,” Lipsic told journalists after he met with traffic experts on Monday. When somebody drives after drinking alcohol, he/she must be punished, insists Lipsic.
The police will buy testers to identify presence of narcotics. “Now the police do not have devices to learn whether a driver is under the influence of a drug,“ said the minister. Lipsic says that the ministry has to do its utmost to minimize the number of accidents. ”The goal is to significantly reduce their number,” he said, adding that no magic solution exists to achieve this goal.
The ministry also wants driving schools to teach more practical skills to their graduates. Lipsic says that one of the solutions to squeeze the number of accidents on Slovak roads is supervision by an experienced driver for fresh drivers for twelve months after they receive their driving license. The law should be also tougher on pirates, reckless drivers. They would have either their driving license withdrawn for a period of time or would have to undergo psychological tests. The minister wants protection for pedestrians and tougher punishments for drivers speeding at zebra crossings. Lipsic wants stationary radars and more traffic police officers on roads.
SITA