Government funds new generation of more accurate mobile breathalysers

New systems will allow officers to quickly gather on-the-spot proof and mean offenders won’t have to be transferred to a police station for a second test

Published Jun 11, 2018

A new mobile breathalyser is being funded by government to help police collect more accurate evidence of drink driving faster.

The new system will mean that those motorists suspected of being over the limit will not need to be transferred back to a police station to be breathalysed, as is currently the process.

Government is committing £350,000 for a competition to bring this technology to market. The RAC Foundation will receive £480,000 of government funding to lead a trial alongside police forces for an innovative new approach to road casualty investigation.

Though police are currently able to test a driver at the roadside, the breathalysers aren’t accurate enough to convict and need to be backed up by a secondary test at the station.

The new breathalyser will mean that drivers who are marginally over the limit won’t have the opportunity to ‘sober up’ during the extra time taken to get to the police station.

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.

Reduced drink drive limit — PICTURE POSED BY MODELRoad Traffic constable John Parry from Police Scotland demonstrates breathalyser equipment at a drink-drive limit change awareness event at Lockerbie Police Station, Scotland, as the reduced drink-driving limit comes in to force at the end of this week.

Not only will it increase the accuracy of roadside tests, but the new technology will free up police resources by reducing the amount of time spent transporting motorists to the station from the roadside.

More than 460,000 people were breathalysed during 2016 – with 59,000 testing positively or refusing to be tested completely.