On Thursday, March 14, new regulations came into force. A driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs may lose their car. In what circumstances?
As the gazetaprawna.pl website explains:
First, for driving while intoxicated with more than 1.5 per mille of alcohol in the blood, and with more than one per mille when the offender also causes an accident. The court will also have to confiscate the car if the driver is caught driving while intoxicated for the second time (above 0.5 per mille), provided they have previously been convicted of driving while intoxicated and the conviction has not been expunged. In addition, confiscation is to apply for driving under the influence of a narcotic substance (regardless of the degree of intoxication).
And it emphasizes:
Although the first confiscation rulings are not expected for several months, a vehicle can physically be lost as early as today. Under Article 295, paragraph 1a of the Code of Criminal Procedure, when an offense is committed for which confiscation of a motor vehicle is ordered, the police temporarily seize the vehicle.
What happens to a confiscated car?
If the irresponsible driver mentioned is the vehicle’s sole owner, the car will be towed to a parking lot. The prosecutor’s office will then have seven days to issue a decision securing the vehicle.
“Gazeta Prawna”: – If the prosecutor’s office issues such a decision, the car will be taken to a depository parking lot, where it will await the court’s decision (while formally remaining the offender’s property throughout). The court will decide on forfeiture to the State Treasury only when issuing its judgment in a case involving driving while intoxicated, driving under the influence of drugs, or causing an accident while in such a state.
Details at gazetaprawna.pl.