GEORGE NEWS - Come December there will be no mercy for motorists who drive under the influence of alcohol.
This campaign to remove drunk drivers from our streets will be enforced with the help of "The Dräger".
The Dräger is a device that works on the Evidentiary Breath Alcohol Testing (Ebat) system.
This system was officially reintroduced in the Western Cape in August 2016 after the use of it was suspended in the Western Cape High Court due to reliability issues in 2011.
The machine reads the amount of alcohol in a person's breath. A printout of the results can be used as evidence in court that could lead to conviction.
How it works
Alcohol passes through the alveoli in the lungs. As you breathe, oxygen passes through the bloodstream.
Some of the alcohol in your blood "evaporates" into your lungs. It is this alcohol that the Dräger measures.
Watch out party-goers, the Dräger will be on duty from 1 December.
When tested, two breath samples are taken. If the lower of the two test results is not less than 0,24mg of alcohol per 1 000ml of breath, the driver will be charged.
The instrument is fitted with a sensor in the hose, which adjusts the temperature of the subject's exhaling breath to 34°C.
This means that when someone's exhaling breath is either more or less than 34ºC (due to illness or fever, for example), this will not influence the reading, as all readings are done at 34ºC.
How the Ebat system differs from blood tests
- The results are immediate;
- Motorists whose alcohol level is below the legal limit can be released immediately after receiving the results;
- With blood test the motorist can be detained overnight or until the end of the weekend and can spend months facing legal uncertainty;
- Cases of motorists who fail the Ebat test can be dealt with quickly using the results of this test;
"We are confident that this machine will help to curb drunk driving in our area," said Regional Director of Traffic Law Enforcement, Nathan Arendse, during a demonstration at George Cluster's offices last Thursday, 23 November.
The following traffic officials attended the demonstration. In front are Mercia Maswati, Ndileka Mvatyana, Vuyokozi Leholo en Charlton Williams. In the back from left are Luzuko Mralasi, Quinton Williams en Nathan Arendse.
Currently there are two of these machines in George.
Although they are mobile, they will be stationed at the provincial traffic department in York Street for now.
When someone is arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, or there is suspicion that the person is over the legal limit, he or she will be escorted to the traffic department and tested.
Should the Dräger not produce a result, the suspect's blood will be tested.
ARTICLE & PHOTOS: KRISTY KOLBERG, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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