No drugs at the wheel. Senators

The draft law providing up to 7 years in prison for drivers detected with drugs or other psychoactive substances in the blood was postponed by senators.

Doctors, NGOs, but also part of the opposition challenges the current form of the legislative text, considering that the measure could affect those who take certain drugs, for example for diabetes, allergies and anxiety.

At the beginning of the year, the High Court of Cassation and Justice decided that the detection of psychoactive substances in the body is not sufficient to be considered a crime. But it must be proved that the respective substances have affected the driver the ability to drive.

I ask you to ask the Permanent Bureau and the Plenum to extend the term of tacit adoption from 45 to 60 days and, as a consequence, the postponement of this point 2.

Without this postponement decided on Tuesday by the senators of the Legal Commission, the draft law would have been tacitly approved on April 2.

And the punishment for drivers detected with psychoactive substances in the blood would have increased from maximum 5 years in prison, to 7 years. Including for those who take medicines that can affect their ability to drive, support the initiators of the legislative project.

Cristian Tăgârlaş, PNL senator, initiator of the draft law: I have traces of substances in my blood that can influence my driving, they are automatically below the auspices of criminal liability. Those people who take drugs that can influence are not allowed to drive.

Ion Cristinel Rujan, PSD senator, president of the Legal Commission: Out of 3000 and some cases, I believe that no one was sent to court from those who led and were notified with substances that were ingested following a medical prescription.

People under treatment should, on their own initiative, stop steering wheel, says legislators.

On the other hand, there are senators who say that they would restrict their right to lead, although they do not violate any law.

Simona Spătaru, USR senator: The doctors explained these issues, there are residual values ​​that each of us can have as a result of a medical treatment. Of course you cannot restrain a right to lead to a person with treatment.

However, other parliamentarians demand even greater penalties for driving drug use.

Ninel Peia, Senator Sos Romania: I agree with this law, the SOS parliamentarians will vote for this law, and I personally think it is too gentle at this time.