Drink-rider jailed after tunnel crash at three times the limit
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
A Belgian motorcyclist has been given a six-month suspended sentence after losing control in a Monaco tunnel while more than three times over the legal alcohol limit.
A 36-year-old Belgian IT specialist appeared before a Monaco court after crashing his motorcycle in one of the Principality's road tunnels in the early hours of Thursday 25 June. The incident occurred shortly before 2:00 am as he rode in the direction of Nice, with subsequent tests showing his blood-alcohol level at more than three times the legal limit.
The rider lost control and came down in the tunnel, narrowly avoiding what could have been a fatal outcome. The court handed down a six-month suspended prison sentence, a ruling that reflects both the severity of the alcohol reading and the risk posed to other road users in a confined tunnel environment.
The case is a reminder that Monaco's tunnel network, which carries significant overnight traffic between the Principality and the Côte d'Azur, offers no margin for impaired riding. Police patrols and camera coverage along these routes are extensive, and the courts have shown little appetite for leniency where drink-driving is involved.