On-the-spot breathalyser results will be used in court against drunk drivers
The specialised equipment used to test breath alcohol is not without controversy, but the NPA confidently brought it back into use in 2016
Transport minister Blade Nzimande says breathalyser readings taken on the spot would soon be used in evidence against drunk drivers in court instead of blood tests. He was speaking at the preliminary road safety report in Pretoria on Tuesday. The report revealed there were 767 fatalities on South African roads in 18 days from December 1 to December 18. Most of the incidents were caused by excessive speeding‚ reckless and negligent driving, and blatant disregard of road signs. Nzimande also stressed drinking and driving incidents had increased‚ as did incidents involving fatigued drivers. The latter had caused some of the more serious accidents, and were especially prevalent in drivers of large vehicles and those transporting groups of passengers. The minister said that although only a few vehicles were involved in these crashes‚ they were more lethal because they involved more people. The report also revealed that 44 trucks and 34 taxis were involved in fatal collisions in the 18-da...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.