In Biłgoraj, 17-year-old girls expose bus driver pouring alcohol

Teenagers stop drunk driver

In the city of Biłgoraj (Poland), two 17-year-old students discovered a violation by a scheduled bus driver. The girls noticed a man pouring alcohol into a bottle from a carbonated drink and immediately reported it to the law enforcement agencies.

The teenagers understood that the driver was about to start another trip with passengers, so the actions were urgent.

Inspection results

Police managed to arrive at the scene before the bus left for its route. It was established that the 61-year-old driver had just completed his previous trip.

A breathalyser test confirmed the presence of alcohol in the man's blood. The examination also indicates that he had likely already been driving the vehicle while intoxicated during the previous trip.

Liability for the violation

The Biłgoraj police are currently establishing all the details of the incident. Under Polish legislation, the punishment depends on the blood alcohol level:

• 0.2–0.5 per mille: a fine of 2,500 to 30,000 zloty or detention from 5 to 30 days. A driving ban from six months to three years is also provided for.
• Over 0.5 per mille: the act is classified as a criminal offence. The sentence is up to three years of imprisonment. The driving ban will last from three to 15 years. Additionally, a contribution to the Victim Support Fund of 5,000 to 60,000 zloty is imposed.

For a professional driver, such actions threaten not only criminal liability and financial losses but also the inability to continue working in their profession.