Treat cabs like hotel rooms on— FTA
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HE USE of 'sleeper cabs' for lorry rivers could be seriously undermined the drinking and driving laws were ) be extended to cover persons in iarge of motor vehicles. This concern reflected in the Freight Transport ssociation's comments on the Deartment of Transport's Consultative ocument on Drinking and Driving. The FTA feels that breath testing is relevant if the driver has no intention of lying and points out that the police have id no problems in applying the present w to test the driver who seeks to avoid e consequences of drinking and driving. Within the transport industry there is creasing use of sleeper cabs, which are ficially recognised in the EEC drivers' )urs legislation and which are attractive both drivers and employers because of le additional flexibility they provide, ;pecially in helping to overcome the rrrent shortage in proper driver accomiodation. As the proposals are presently amed, a driver using a sleeper cab for an yernight stop could be woken up and„ -.dike a driver using hotel or hostel :commodation, be held to be in charge of
a motor vehicle and in breach of the drinking and driving regulationE if found to be over the limit. Drivers in sleeper cabs who park up for the night should be treated no differently to drivers staying in other types of accommodation.
FTA says it is also concerned about the Government's attitude to self-assessment of blood /alcohol levels. The FTA differs from the Government in that it believes that self-assessment can form an important role in educating drivers and therefore preventing accidents. It does not share the Government view that encouragement towards self-assessment would mean encouragement to -drink to the lirr
It, however, agrees with the Government view that random testing would be undesirable and feels that the present powers are wide enough to enforce the law. In addition FTA fully supports moves to reduce procedure matters to a minimum, so that loopholes providing avoidance of the law are closed. How aver. it is important that departures from norThal arrangements would not relate to the actual conduct of a breath and/ or blood test.