In an attempt to stop drunk driving, the French government announced a new law requiring all drivers to carry a single-use, portable breathalyzer in every car. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2012, and raises a number of interesting questions.
The device, which costs roughly $2 to $10, is not connected to the engine and therefore will not automatically impose driving restrictions. The only requirement is that it be “immediately accessible.” The driver would have to use the device (completely voluntarily) and then choose not to get behind the wheel. Additionally, the single-use device will only tell whether a person has been drinking alcohol and not the driver’s BAC. It is not clear on whether the device would indicate if the user is above France’s drink driving limit of .05 BAC.
Interestingly, new “coaches” (busses) in France have had mandatory interlock equipment since January 2010. All coaches will be required to have ignition interlocks by 2015. But the new law for all other vehicles includes no requirement that the breathalyzers be installed on a vehicle’s ignition system.
The new law goes as far as requiring the device to be in any car that is driven in France, not necessarily registered there. In particular, the Irish Times reports on the impact the law will have on the roughly 750,000 tourists that drive from Ireland to France each year. The breathalyzer requirement joins a list of other required items, such as traffic cones, as part of a perceived hard-hitting road safety program.
The penalty for failure to comply is $15. It is unclear how that would be enforced. Ironically, the cost for visitors from Ireland to acquire the breathalyzers before they enter the country could be closer to $65.
The government estimates of the 4,000 killed in auto accidents last year, 33% are alcohol-related. Though it is understandable that the French government wants to stop the drinking and driving epidemic, this is a relatively unique tactic in the DUI world.
What impact do you think these one-use, disposable breathalyzers will have on drunk driving? Does this law go too far, or not far enough? Is this the first step in mandatory interlock technology installed in all new vehicles?
