What Happens When You Get DIC in NZ?
19 January, 2022
New Zealand undertakes its commitment towards safer roads earnestly. However, many road accidents in NZ occur because of alcohol-impaired driving. As such, drunk in charge or DIC in NZ is a criminal offence with severe penalties. DIC, also called Excessive breath alcohol (EBA), is driving under the influence of alcohol or exceeding the legal limit. In New Zealand, you are regarded as legally intoxicated if your blood alcohol content (BAC) reaches 0.05%. The BAC or alcohol level is the amount of ethanol in your blood. An efficient way of checking your BAC is through devices like BACtrack personal breathalysers. BACtrack breathalysers are breath testing devices that use advanced fuel cell sensors to estimate the BAC accurately. You can check your BAC level with BACtrack to stay reasonably safe and within the legal limits.
DIZ in NZ: Penalties
DIC in NZ has severe consequences. Depending on your age and level of impairment, you can get an infringement notice or an alcohol interlock device installed in your car. The following are the court-imposed penalties if you are under 20 years old:
- BAC – 0.03% or 30mg of blood alcohol – You will get an on-the-spot infringement for $200 and 50 demerit points
- BAC -0.031-0.08% or 31-80mg of blood alcohol – You will go to court and will either pay a fine of $2,250 or go to jail for up to three months. Disqualification from driving for three months or more is also a possibility.
On the other hand, if you are 20 years old or older and convicted of DIC in NZ, the penalties are higher and costlier. For example:
- BAC – 0.051-0.08% or 51-80mg of blood alcohol – You will receive an infringement notice for $200 and demerit points but are not required to attend a court hearing.
- BAC – 0.081-0.15% or 81-160mg of blood alcohol – You will have to go to court and either pay a fine of $4,500 or go to jail for up to three months. In addition, you will receive driving disqualification for at least six months.
Additionally, for subsequent offences of DIC in NZ, you could face imprisonment terms of up to two years or pay a $6,000 fine. The penalties are also heavier if drink driving causes an injury or death. You could stay clear of repeated charges by checking your BAC using a BACtrack breathalyser before you drive.
DIC in NZ: Preventive Measures
What happens when you get a DIC in NZ? The foremost thing you can do is to avail the services of a lawyer. There are a lot of lawyers specialising in drink driving cases in NZ. However, legal fees can cost you a lot on top of the legal charges you could pay if convicted. Therefore, it is best not to drive with any alcohol influence to avoid accidents or legal problems. Use a BACtrack breathalyser when you consume alcohol to ensure you won’t get into any trouble. Breath tests with BACtrack devices are quick. It only takes 10 to 15 seconds for a BACtrack breathalyser to process your results.
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