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Mechelen, Willebroek, Bornem, Puurs-Sint-Amands –
Rivierenland police zone conducted alcohol and drug checks at various locations in the region last weekend. Of the almost 1,200 motorists who had to pull over for a check, 22 were driving under the influence.
Nineteen drivers drove under the influence of alcohol, three had used drugs. Nine drivers lost their driving license for fifteen days. Two drivers had used cannabis. Another driver had 1.7 grams of alcohol in his blood. The man also did not have his driver’s license with him and was told that he must hand it in to the police as soon as possible. Pending this, the man’s car was immobilized with a steering rod.
A Dutch woman had 2 grams of alcohol in her blood. Because she does not live in Belgium, she immediately had to pay a fine of 1,260 euros. Five other drivers also lost their license because they had drunk too much.
Driving ban
The police also caught a motorist who could not produce a driver’s license. “Because he had a driving ban until September 2024,” says Dirk Van de Sande of the Rivierenland police zone. “The man also showed clear signs of drug use. The gentleman refused to take a saliva test and also to have a blood test taken by a doctor. Because he drove without a driver’s license, his car was immobilized with a steering rod.”
Four other drivers had to surrender their license for a period of 6 hours. One of them waited until the inspection ended and continued driving her car anyway. “An interception team chased the woman and was also able to intercept her. A new breath test was carried out and it showed that she still had 0.8 grams of alcohol in her blood. Because she was driving during a period when her driver’s license was revoked, she will be summoned by the police court.”
Seven drivers were given a driving ban of 3 hours. During the action, the police also pulled over four drivers with a provisional driver’s license. After all, they are not allowed to drive their car during weekend nights.
Cyclist
Police also stopped a cyclist who was riding without lights. “In addition, the man had his mobile phone in his hand and it looked as if he was filming. When our teams pointed out to him that his behavior was unacceptable, he ran off. The man was caught. It quickly turned out that he had 1.8 grams of alcohol in his blood. For safety reasons, we confiscated the man’s bicycle for six hours so that he could not pose a danger to himself or other road users,” Van de Sande added.
Two cars whose inspection certificates had been expired for more than a year were also intercepted. Another motorist turned out not to have a driver’s license at all. His car was immobilized and the man in question will soon have to appear before the police judge.