Cumulative disqualifications for repeat drink and drug drivers

On average, drink driving contributes to more than 22% of road deaths in Queensland each year.

Every day drink and drug drivers are caught risking the lives of all road users. Far too often they are not first time offenders. Between July 2005 and July 2006, more than 8000 offenders served concurrent disqualifications after committing multiple drink driving offences.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads takes the position that penalties for repeat offenders must reflect the risk these drivers continue to take with other people's lives.

Cumulative disqualifications apply to persons who have been convicted of more than 1 drink or drug driving offence committed on or after 18 May 2008. Under this law, repeat offenders serve each disqualification period one after the other (cumulatively) rather than serving them all at the same time (concurrently).

This means a person starts the first disqualification period on the date of the first court conviction. The second disqualification period does not start until the first disqualification period has been served, thereby ensuring that the full impact of the penalty is felt by the offender.

For more information about cumulative disqualifications and the offences, view the cumulative disqualification information sheet (S4855).