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Swifter justice for drink drivers

The UK Government have launched a competition to design a new roadside breathalyser that requires no back test at the station. In effect the police will be able to gather on-the-spot proof.

The goal is to have fully mobile evidential breath tests which will allow police to gather early evidence of drink driving, by taking a breath sample from suspect drivers at the roadside. The instant test means they will not need to be taken back to a police station to obtain evidence as is currently the case. It will mean those marginally over the drink drive limit will not have extra time to ‘sober up’ and stand a chance of passing a later test at the station.

As part of a continued crackdown on those motorists who choose to drink and drive, the government is committing £350,000 for a competition which will see companies bring the new mobile breathalyser to market.

Roads Minister Jesse Norman said: ‘The drink drive limit has helped to give us one of the safest road networks in the world but there is always more we can do. This new mobile breathalyser technology will enable the police to enforce the alcohol limit more rigorously on those who still choose to drive after drinking, putting others at risk.’

The latest figures show that fewer people died on British roads in 2015 as a result of drink driving than in any year since records began.

In 2016, more than 460,000 people undertook breath tests in 2016, with almost 59,000 testing positively or refusing a test.

uk.tdsynnex.com

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