Belgiam (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) proposes a 12-hour driving ban for drunk drivers in Belgium, replacing the current 2–6 hour ban. A 34-year-old case in West Flanders supports the plan.
As VRT News reported, Belgian Federal Minister Jean-Luc Crucke wants to change the rules for drunk drivers. Right now, people who drink too much and drive get a short ban and a fine. Some cannot drive for 2, 3, or 6 hours, depending on their job.
But the minister says this is not enough. He wants to make the ban 12 hours for everyone. That way, no one can drive again the same day after drinking. He says this will help keep the roads safe. The plan still needs to be approved before it can start.
What is Minister Crucke’s plan to stop drunk driving?
According to Crucke, the goal of the new rule is to make roads safer and stop drunk driving. Many crashes in Belgium still happen because of alcohol. Some drivers believe that after a few hours, they are good to drive again, but the alcohol is still in their body. He said that a shorter ban can become insufficient, and the person could still be drunk. A 12-hour ban gives more time for the alcohol.
Officials mentioned that under the new plan by Minister Jean-Luc Crucke, drivers caught with alcohol in their system will not get their license back after 12 hours unless they pass a new breath test. The driver must prove they are sober before they can drive again. If they still seem drunk or fail the test, the ban will last longer.
The plan has been discussed with the police and the courts. They gave their opinion because they help enforce the rules. But the plan is not final yet. It still needs to be shown to the Council of Ministers. Since this step was not done, the plan was not part of the laws shared by the federal government last week. If the Council agrees, the plan can move forward.
In West Flanders, police stopped a 34-year-old man who had drunk too much alcohol. He had just left a party and was driving late at night. He got a 6-hour driving ban and had to stop driving. But a few hours later, police saw him driving again. They stopped him and did another test. He was still drunk.
