The Department of Transport in South Africa has started the roll out of a new breathalyzer that will enable police officers to arrest impaired drivers on the spot.
The Evidential Breathalyzer Alcohol Test (EBAT) was launched by Minister of Transport Dr Blade Nzimande.
âI must indicate that the road towards the realisation of EBAT has been a difficult one,â Nzimande said. âIt had legislative as well as administrative challenges, but at the end, all those challenges have been overcome. This includes ensuring that at all times during our roadblocks targeted at alcohol testing, we have registered nursing sisters. This will ensure that no driver will evade being arrested for drinking and driving.â
Nzimande stated that those under 35 years are mostly affected by road crashes and urged all youth organizations to come forward and help.
âYoung people are perishing on our roads,â he said. âRoad crashes rob households of people that are in the prime of their lives.â
Currently, long delays in waiting for blood test results can delay the prosecution of drunk drivers in South Africa.