Gardai now have 1,000
units of breath testing equipment in the field
by Simon McGeady, Inishowen
Independent
THE FOUNDER of Road Safety Campaign organisation
PARC has given a mixed welcome to latest Gardaí
information on the units of breath-testing equipment
in use within the force.
In their Road Policing review, published earlier
this week, the Garda Síochána say they now have 1000
aclometers in use throughout the country compared to
600 at the time of the last inspection.
There are now 64 intoxilisors–the breath-testing
machine which provides a reading indicating whether
or not a prosecution for drink driving will
proceed–located mostly at divisional and district
headquarters.
According to the Medical Bureau of Road Safety in
Dublin, with the introduction of random breath
testing in July 2007 there were around 500
breathalysers in the state.
“The last figure PARC had was there were 720
breathalyzers [aclometers] than this in use, so it’s
welcome news that there are now 1000,” said Susan
Gray of PARC.
However she cautioned that the 64 intoxilisers, of
which there is one in Inishowen, loacted at the
Buncrana station, will become obsolete if, as
expected, the minimum blood alcohol level for
drivers is reduced in next years Road Traffic Bill.
“Breathalysers only tell you if a driver is over the
limit, you need an intoxilser to determine exactly
how much over the limit a driver is.
“The current intoxilisers are calibrated to measure
blood alcohol of 80mgs per 100mls upwards. If the
drink drive limit is reduced to 50mgs and 20mgs for
learner drivers then these machines will be useless.
However I’ve been informed in writing that new
intoxilisers will be delivered to the Gardaí by the
end of 2009.
Meanwhile PARC Road Safety Group have written to
each member of the Oireachtas to determine if they
agree in principle with the proposed changes in
legislation in the forthcoming Road Traffic Bill.
“The most recent evidence supporting our position on
a the current drink drive limit was presented by Dr.
Declan Bedford at an International Road Safety
Conference hosted by the Road Safety Authority in
October 2008.
“Dr Bedford stressed that there is no blood alcohol
level at which impairment does not occur and that
relative risk of a fatal crash is 4-10 times higher
for drivers with BACs between 50 - 79mg compared to
drivers with BAC of zero,” said Mrs Gray.
“A survey of public attitudes carried out by PARC
Road Safety Group in March 2008, the biggest of its
kind ever undertaken; found that 99% of the public
would support a lower limit. Indeed, 57% voiced a
preference for the “effective zero” approach.
Mrs Gray added that Dr Bedford totally vindicated
PARC's stance on calling for a reduction in the
drink driving limit and the compulsory testing of
all drivers at collision scenes attended by Gardai. |
