Foreign Experience of Responsibility for Driving Vehicles in Condition of Alcohol Intoxication: International Standards, Administrative and Criminal Aspects

Abstract

The purpose of the article consists in revealing foreign experience of responsibility for driving vehicles in condition of alcohol intoxication (international standards, administrative and criminal aspect). Considered is the legislation of some European countries (Great Britain and Germany), Australia and the USA regarding responsibility for driving vehicles in condition of alcohol intoxication. Attention is drawn to the fact that among the possible measures, legislation of some states provides for mandatory equipment of the offender’s vehicle with an alcohol blocking device or mandatory rehabilitation or rehabilitation programs (the so-called “therapeutic jurisprudence”). It has been concluded that the legislation of the European Union countries, the United States and other countries of the world try to deter serious violators and so-called “repeat offenders” by means of creating specialized courts (organizational factor), strengthening punishment sanctions (jurisdictional factor), spreading educational and therapeutic programs (medical educational factor) and using vehicle blocking devices in case of identification of alcohol in the driver’s organism (technical factor).

Keywords

• alcohol intoxication
• responsibility
• foreign experience
• directions for improvement
• international standards
• legal regulation