Antwerp: (Brussels Morning) – The accident occurred when a drunk driver with laughing gas in their car lost control and drove onto the outdoor terrace of the student cafĂ© Klimax in Antwerp leading to serious charges and license suspension for the driver.
On 1st July 2024 at night around 11:40 PM something happened at the student cafĂ© Klimax in the busy Stadswaag area in Antwerp. There was an accident on the cafĂ©’s outdoor seating area where students usually hang out. A 21-year-old driver was reversing their car in Stadswaag when they lost control and accidentally drove onto the terrace of Klimax. This event caused worry among the people at the cafĂ©.
Did the drunk driver’s passengers face consequences for letting him drive their car?
On the night of the accident the driver first ran away in a panic. But the police managed to reach him and convinced him to come back to the crash site. When he returned the police tested him with a breathalyzer which showed that he had been drinking because the test was positive for alcohol.
When the police searched the car they discovered a bottle of laughing gas. People sometimes misuse it to feel happy and excited when they breathe it in. This finding raised more worries about the driver’s condition during the accident. The car in the accident wasn’t owned by the driver but by one of the three passengers in the car. This passenger is in trouble because he let the drunk driver drive his car. According to the law here car owners can get in trouble if they let someone under the influence drive their vehicle. So the car owner is getting fined for this mistake. Police said that it shows how important it is for both drivers and car owners to stop drunk driving. It also shows how risky it is when people use alcohol and laughing gas while driving.
What were the serious charges and consequences faced by the drunk driver?
The driver was in big trouble for many serious things. First he was charged with being drunk while driving which means his alcohol level in the blood was too high. He was part of a hit-and-run where he left the accident scene without helping or sharing information. Hit-and-runs are very bad because they show no care for others’ safety delay help for possible victims and make it harder for the police to investigate. The driver got in more trouble for driving dangerously like going too fast, driving recklessly and not following traffic rules. These actions put other people on the road in danger. Because of all these serious violations the authorities took quick action and made the driver give up his license for fifteen days. This suspension is meant to punish the driver warn others not to drive recklessly and keep the public safe by keeping a dangerous driver off the roads. Police mentioned that this case shows how important it is to follow traffic laws and how serious the consequences can be if you break them.
