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Breath tests made easy

Pocket-sized breathalyser is launched, as figures show a 60 per cent increase in morning-after drink-drive accidents in 10 years

Breath tests made easy

27th December 2011

Carrying an in-car breathalyser will be compulsory in France for all drivers – including Brits – from the spring, and breath test expert AlcoSense says it has the perfect new pocket-sized device.

At half the size of a pencil, the single-use, disposable breathalyser is said to be the smallest and simplest to use yet. It costs £4.99 for a pack of two.

AlcoSense boss Hunter Abbott said: “People think a few hours’ sleep will get rid of the alcohol in their system, but it can take until 11am after as little as four pints. There’s been almost a 60 per cent increase in morning-after drink-drive accidents this past decade.”

He also warned against storing breathalysers in the glovebox: “If you are caught trying to retrieve it while over the limit, you could technically be arrested for being intoxicated in charge of a vehicle.”

Motorists can check their blood alcohol content by blowing into the tube. Crystals inside change from yellow to green in the presence of alcohol. The further the green appears up the tube, the greater the level of alcohol.

However, the AA warns that portable devices have to be used properly. Head of road safety Andrew Howard said: “If you use it the following morning to check you are still over the limit, then that’s OK. But checking if you can squeeze one more drink in before you drive home can obviously be dangerous.”

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4 Comments

You say "Carrying an in-car breathalyser will be compulsory in France for all drivers" - it would be good to know if this was going to be actual law or just an aspirational statement. Carrying a single use kit is of no use whatsoever, didn't Sarkozy want all cars from 2012 to be fitted with kits to prevent drunk driving?

By aje21 on 28 December, 2011, 1:10pm

I will be driving in France in May/June 2012. Can anyone confim if the new rules have been be law or not?

By PhilipD on 1 January, 2012, 6:25pm

Roger69

In answer to PhilipD, President Sarkozy has proposed this and I understand that it is expected to be introudced sometime in March.

In response to Aje21: There is a European Parliament aspiration to have all cars fitted with a locking device which would prevent them starting unless the driver passes a breath test. This is unlikely to be introduced before the end of the decade (if at all) and will presumably only be possible as new cars are manufactured.
The AlcoSense Single use breathalsers measure at the French drink drive limit and meet the French regulatory specifications which many other UK breathalysers may not so they should be satisfactory for most travellers.

By Rog07 on 10 January, 2012, 12:24pm

Still none the wiser

I still don't understand what law is being proposed. I can see the sense of a high visibility jacket (it can be used when needed) being required and it's obvious if you have one - though I expect the police would only care if you weren't wearing it when the law says you should. How can carrying a single-use breathalyser show that I'm not driving drunk???

By aje21 on 10 January, 2012, 1:15pm

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