Alcohol sensors should be in every car in order to cut drink-related road deaths and injuries, says the Government’s former chief drugs adviser (BBC News).
Professor Nutt, president of the British Neuroscience Association and a professor at Imperial College, London, said Britain was facing a “public health crisis” of “immense proportions” because of a rise in the number of alcohol-related illnesses and deaths, according to BBC News.
Although he welcomes plans for minimum unit pricing in England, Wales and Scotland, saying it will have a “big impact” on heavy drinkers, Professor Nutt said much more must be done.
In his new book, ‘Drugs – Without the Hot Air’, he suggests seven ways to reduce the harm caused by alcohol.
One of his most controversial suggestions is for the “wider use” of alcohol detectors that won’t allow cars to start if the driver has drunk more alcohol than the legal limit.
Professor Nutt told the BBC that some countries used the in-car breathalysers, known as alcohol ignition interlock devices, to ensure that people convicted of drink-driving don’t take to the wheel, but he had an even more “radical” idea.
He said: “You could potentially have it so that was true of all cars – everybody would have to breathe in [to the device] before they were able to drive away.
“You hear about terrible accidents when four or five young people die simultaneously in the one car because the driver’s been drunk. It could save a lot of lives.”
Robert Gifford, executive director of the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Transport Safety, gave the idea a cautious welcome, but said it would have to go hand-in-hand with lowering the drink-drive limit from 80 mg/100 ml of blood.
But, according to BBC News, the Department for Transport said it had no plans to install in-car breathalysers in cars, or to use them to test drink-driving offenders.
A spokesman said: “These schemes are very difficult to manage because offenders can get round the lock by changing the car they drive. We are also not persuaded as to their effectiveness in changing long-term behaviour.
“We are always willing to consider new initiatives to combat drink driving and of course would consider any new research or technology in this area.”
Click here to read the full BBC News report.
Could a sober non driver passenger not complete the test for the driver?
Jeff Carlisle
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This Idea will NEVER work. The costs will make it too restrictive and there are numerous pitfalls. Some pubs and clubs in Yorkshire have installed testing machines for drivers to blow into before driving. Question; how and when are these calibrated? All the device will tell someone with any accuracy, is that they have been drinking, and, being in a public house, they probably know that already! And what about the driver who blows under the limit having recently taken alcohol on board? It’s quite feasible that the driver could go over the limit whilst driving! Which all beggars the question, why are new pubs being built with car parks?
John Scruby Sheffield
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Nutts the word! Completely nuts! For instance – I am a near tee-totaller, have never been drunk in my life but I have 7 cars ranging from 1939 to 2001.
Am I really going to have to pay for 7 alcohol testing devices to be fitted to my cars – and how will they be fitted to the old ones?
And why? No drunk is ever going to drive any of them! Please – deal witht the minority who cause problems, not the majority who do not!
Idris Francis Petersfield
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I would sign up for that if every MP came with a lie detector!!!
Bob
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