03.08.2012 1

Provence & Côte d’Azur: Prohibitive measures to clamp down on drink driving

Child death prompts alcohol ban

After a young boy was tragically run down on the pavement and killed by a drunk driver last weekend, the town of La Ciotat has taken measures into its own hands, banning the sale of alcohol in small supermarkets and corner stores between the hours of 9pm and 7am.

Alcohol has been banned between 9pm and 7am in La Ciotat following the tragic death of an 11-year-old boy

In the wake of the fatal nightmare which cost the life of an 11-year-old boy, and following complaints from residents about general nighttime nuisances, Guy Patzlaff, Delegate of Public Safety for the area, has announced an alcohol embargo.

The ban, which started on Tuesday 31st July, is aimed at corner stores and small supermarkets, and not regional wine merchants. The 33-year-old driver responsible for the accident had earlier bought beer from this kind of shop late at night.

La Ciotat in the Bouches du Rhône department is not the only town attempting to stamp out drink driving and other alcohol-induced crimes. Nice, Lyon, Poitiers and Bordeaux have all adopted similar prohibitive measures. 

Emma Hawcroft

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Comment by Caroline | 03.08.2012

"banning the sale of alcohol in small supermarkets and corner stores between the hours of 9pm and 7am" THAT'S GREAT, but in this case these criminals will buy their booze during the day and it will be the same. They must create a device that prevent the cars to start if the driver is under alcool influence. A kind of breathalizer linked to the ignition system... It will not stop it completely (some will fool it) but it will help a lot.

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