Over 1,200 people caught for aiding drunk driving under revised law

Thursday 09th October, 04:19 PM JST

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serindipity at 04:54 PM JST - 9th October

Unfortunately, drink driving is still quite rampant in Japan. Everybody knows the police only do breath testing in the late evening to early morning and, even then it is occasionally and at the same places, so most people drink and drive through the day and avoid the traps. I have been pulled over in a random breath test twice and both times the policeman asked me to breath into his face. How ridiculous is that!?! There were no machines or even a bus set up. Just a couple of cops at an on-ramp to a main road. If the Japanese police were seriously vigilant about eradicating drink driving they would all have hand-held breath testers and be on the road 24/7 trying catch drink drivers. I'm sure the numbers listed in this story would triple or possibly even quadruple!
CavemanLawyer at 05:03 PM JST - 9th October

Were the others 'not arrested' because they were allegedly innocent, or were they just allegedly let go? Seems if you 'catch' 93 people, only arresting seven is a bit strange.

Is it? There was nothing there about knowing for sure if the person was driving or not.

In Japan, they have the daiko system where a two men bring a car and one drives you home. So just because somebody came to your place by car does not mean you can be sure they intend to drive themselves home after drinking.

I am unhappy that even seven were arrested. The whole deal is putting more responsibility on bar owners and such than is remotely reasonable. The law gives the bar owners no recourse, no way out of trouble. I could accept it if they had the simple legal responsibility to offer a daiko, and/or have posters suggesting one at strategic locations. What else can they really do about it? Beat people up? Chain them to the bar? How can they really know who to serve and who not to until they actually see the drunk get in the car and drive off? Has the Diet passed a resolution to give all bar owners a crystal ball? I don't think so. --Cirroc
GW at 08:27 PM JST - 9th October

I often see people drinking in their cars while parked at my local 7-11 then drive off, there is so little police presence on the roads they just wait for the accidents or drunks to drive off the roads then when called they go check it out, usles for the most part
gyouza at 09:20 PM JST - 9th October

I think Japan has made steps in the right direction to stop an issue of huge proportions. It is just one year on, but if these results get circulated, then there may be more people taking notice. It is a start, and the idea of passengers being arrested too is spot on, as long as it can be proved that they knew of consumption (imagine a bus driver over the limit who starts duty - an instant 50 people arrested?).

As for bars owners, they could call the police and say car xx:xx would appear to be driving over the limit - he is heading east, etc, etc. As long as they KNOW the driver intends to drive and does SOMETHING in advance to stop it, their conscience should be clear. Enforcement is down to the police (bar owners weren't mentioned in the article though - are we assuming that they are the "providers" - I had that down as friends giving beer at home, etc - wasn't clear though).
BlackFlag at 09:34 PM JST - 9th October

good, more next month please
uberloser at 09:49 PM JST - 9th October

I know lots of people who have stopped driving after having consumed alcohol (however little the amount may have been) due to the new law, so big ups for that, but the policing of said law is close to non-existent in my area. Make that totally non-existent. Even when there is a festival or karaoke competition on, and plenty of tanked up locals, no police checks. The J-cops could fill the governments coffers very quickly with proactive fines for numerous road violations.
Sarge at 09:54 PM JST - 9th October

"954 either asked for or demanded a ride in a car, knowing the driver was drunk"

954 idiots.
KitsuneYoukai at 10:39 PM JST - 9th October

The definition here on what constitutes aiding drunk driving seems a little odd. The offering a drink is one thing but can you really be held responsible if someone wants to drive drunk. I would not get in the car, but if you do that is considered aiding???? Sounds kind of weird.
BlackFlag at 11:09 PM JST - 9th October

Sounds kind of weird.

no, sounds kind of stupid and sounds kind of illegal.
kringis at 11:12 PM JST - 9th October

memyselfI:

I don't drink and drive, but I do drive fast when I'm on windy little country roads. Why? It's fun!

So far, all I've killed is cats. No great loss there.
BlackFlag at 11:23 PM JST - 9th October

So far, all I've killed is cats.

go to a race course or buy a playstation. stop being so irresponsible
usaexpat at 11:58 PM JST - 9th October

I'm all for the aim of reducing drunk driving but where is the personal responsiblity? If a person gets into a car with a drunk that is a crime? No that's stupidity. If a person provides alcohol to somone who later drives that is a crime? No, the driver is the one committing the crime.
usaexpat at 12:00 AM JST - 10th October

Kringis: I hope you actually know how to drive at high speed. I raced cars as an amatuer and have been through the Bondurant course. People who think they are race drivers are usually the ones that kill themselves or others.
meanmutha at 01:36 AM JST - 10th October

scary place.
Youdontknow at 03:32 AM JST - 10th October

In my local ramen restaurant, they have signs all over the walls about this law. Ironically, it came out on 19日09月19年 which was my birthday and five years to the day when I was arrested for DUI on a BICYCLE!! (^v^)v@)(>V