Minister of Transport, Blade Nzimande, introduced the device at the launch of the 2019 Easter Road Safety Campaign in KwaZulu-Natal last week Monday, where he revealed that it would be used during the safety campaign. A partner at the King Price insurance company, Wynand van Vuuren, tells OFM News that with the previous Dräger breathalyser test there were instances that found the device to be unreliable, hence the need to verify results via a blood test done by a district doctor.

Most recently a video of a traffic official whose breathalyser test produces a positive reading of 0.21mg after eating a hot cross bun has gone viral, with many wondering if this could cause motorists trouble at roadblocks. Van Vuuren says should the device be calibrated properly and the authorities have the certificate which indicates that all strict requirements were met when having the test done, then the new test results and that alone is sufficient to prosecute a drunk driver.

He says because of its effectiveness, motorists may be inclined to resist having a test done when requested. He explains one’s insurance claim will be denied should you resist having a breathalyser test done at the scene.

The test is believed to take two breath samples. If the lower shows 0.24mg of alcohol per 1‚000ml (or more) the driver will be charged. This is an important feature of the device, because of instances where food – like hot cross buns – can produce positive results even though the driver is sober. The second test will confirm whether the motorist was drunk or if this was a case of ‘mouth alcohol’. According to https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/hot-cross-bun-breathalyzer/, “Mouth alcohol is a well-known complication for breathalyzer tests and can be easily avoided by not eating, smoking, or chewing on anything for 15 to 20 minutes before blowing into the breathalyzer. This is why instruction manuals indicate that the tool should not be used on subjects for 15 to 20 minutes after they’ve eaten, and it is why law enforcement officers are required, in most jurisdictions, to repeat any tests yielding positive readings again after a 15- to 20-minute waiting period.” 

Wynand urges motorists to travel safely this Easter season. He says people should avoid making use of their cell phones when driving. They should also ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy and that they have the necessary emergency numbers at hand.

OFM News