Upgrading the process of checking drunk drivers in the city to a more hygienic way, the Delhi Traffic Police (DTP) will procure 128 passive breathalysers. These new-age breath analysers will be able to detect whether the driver has consumed alcohol by just examining the person’s face. Only when it is established that the person in question has consumed alcohol, will he or she be made to breathe on this alcometer to find out whether the alcohol levels in the person’s body is above the permissible limit. These scan devices will appease those who cry foul over hygiene issues with breathalysers used by police.
The mouthless breathalyser is an easy-to-use, passive breath alcohol countermeasure system, with a highly sensitive electrochemical sensor. The machine — without a mouthpiece — will be able to sniff the environment for the presence of alcohol.
The Traffic Police, at present, have 125 alcometers — a device that checks the presence of alcohol in a person’s blood. As per Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle (MV) Act, a motorist is liable to be challaned if found driving under the influence of alcohol in excess of 30 mg per 100 ml of blood. “The new alcometers will be able to detect from a person’s face whether he/she is under the influence of alcohol. This will save traffic personnel from brawls and arguments with drivers who do not wish to undergo the breathalyser test. Additionally, it will prove to be a more germ-free method, both for the drivers and the personnel, who wouldn’t have to manually sniff out the inebriated drivers,” said Anil Shukla, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
He further said that for better enforcement purposes, 50 of these alcometers will be handed over to the most important police stations in the Capital. “The rest 78 will be used by the Traffic Police to tighten the noose around tipsy drivers in the city,” he added. Till September 30, 2013, around 21,000 have been prosecuted for the offence of drunken driving. Of these, 14,000 people have been penalised for the offence and vehicles have been seized in 7,400 cases. This apart, Traffic Police have arrested 8,000 drivers, driving licence of 530 drivers have been suspended and 3,000 other drivers have been awarded jail term till September this year.