Penza, 23 June 2015. PenzaNews. 17 people lost their lives and 121 more received various injuries in traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers over the first five months of 2015.

The police registered 89 DUI-related traffic accidents over these months.

Because of these reasons, the traffic police are now organizing mass driver checks for possible drunk driving, including in cooperation with volunteers.

“The traffic police urges all drivers to follow the law, as driving drunk may lead to tragic consequences. A drunk driver is a great danger for all involved in road traffic process: passengers, pedestrians and other drivers,” says the message published on the official website of the Penza region traffic police department.

Driving drunk is punishable with a driving ban of 18 to 24 months, as well as a fine of 30,000 rubles. A repeated violation will lead to a driving ban of 3 years and a fine of 50,000 rubles.

Starting on July 1, 2015, repeated violation of these laws or a refusal to be tested for blood alcohol content will be considered a criminal offense and punishable with a jail term.