Bengaluru police resume use of breath analysers to check drunk driving (2024)

Karnataka

The use of breath analysers had been suspended as a precaution amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bengaluru police resume use of breath analysers to check drunk driving (1)

Police checking for drunk driving

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The traffic police in Bengaluru have resumed the use of breath analysers to catch motorists driving under the influence of alcohol, nearly 18 months after the practice was stopped amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier in March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit India, the breath analyser tests using alcometers were stopped in Bengaluru to prevent the spread of the disease.

According to a report in Deccan Herald, Bengaluru Joint Commissioner of Police Traffic BR Ravikanthe Gowda told reporters on Saturday that drunk-driving checks using breath analysers had been resumed. The breath analyser tests are being resumed after Bengaluru saw an increase in drunk driving cases, the report said. Ravikanthe Gowda further said that the opinion of experts has been sought before resuming these tests, according to the report.

According to a report on Times of India, each person stopped by the police will be provided with a disposable straw for the alcometer and once the person has used the alcometer, the alcometer will be sanitized and put away in a plastic bag for the next three days before it is used again. In case the person refuses to use the alcometer even with the disposable straw, the police will take the person to the nearest government hospital for a blood test to detect whether the person was under the influence of alcohol.

Ravikanthe Gowda also told the newspaper that the police will follow all precautionary measures, including wearing gloves, masks and face shields during these checks. Further, the police will sanitize themselves and the motorist before testing them.

According to the TOI report, over 600 alcometers will be used to check for drunk driving in Bengaluru and they have been distributed to 60 stations in the city.

Earlier, on September 17, Bengaluru police had started to conduct drunk driving tests and had booked 46 people on the day, according to a previous report in TNM. However, instead of alcometers, the police only conducted blood tests when they suspected that the motorists were driving under the influence of alcohol through smell.

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Bengaluru police resume use of breath analysers to check drunk driving (2024)

FAQs

What is the breath analysis test for drunken driving? ›

A 'breath test' used by traffic police to check drunken driving uses 'Potassium dichromate'. Potassium dichromate is a crystalline ionic solid with a very bright, red-orange colour.

What is the fine for drunk driving in Bangalore? ›

The drink and drive penalty in Bangalore entails a six-month imprisonment and/or a fine, the latter not exceeding ₹10,000. In case of a repeat offence, the offender may be subjected to a two-year imprisonment and/or a 'drunk and drive' fine of ₹15,000.

What is the alcohol limit for driving in Karnataka? ›

Legal permissible limit is 30mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Traffic police use state of art Alco meters (breath analyzers) which is accepted worldwide to measure the level of alcohol in blood.

What chemical is used to detect alcohol? ›

Hence, the compounds used in the breath analysis test for drunken driving are Potassium dichromate and Sulphuric acid.

What is the breath test limit for alcohol in India? ›

What is the alcohol limit for driving in India? The drunk and drive limit exceeds when a person's blood alcohol level exceeds 30 mg per 100 ml of blood, as determined by a breath analyzer test.

How long is alcohol detectable in the breath? ›

The length of time a breathalyzer can detect alcohol in the breath varies between individuals. In some cases, the breathalyzer may detect alcohol for up to 12 hours. In other individuals, the breathalyzer test may work for twice that long.

Is drink and drive checking in Bangalore? ›

Sharing details about the novel initiative with the media here on Friday, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda said, “Starting from April 1, every checkpost will have a traffic police officer with an alcohol metre to check for drink and drive cases.

How to pay drunk and drive fine in Bangalore? ›

Alternatively, you can also walk into the nearest Traffic Police Station and pay traffic fines through cash or other available modes of payment. Apart from the methods mentioned above, you can also pay traffic fines in Bangalore via Karnataka One/Bangalore One centre spread across the city.

How to pay drink and drive fine in Bangalore? ›

On Paytm Mobile App
  1. Open the Paytm Mobile Application on your phone.
  2. Navigate to “Bill Payments” and click on “View All”.
  3. Locate the transit option and click on “Challan”. ...
  4. Select “Bangalore Traffic Police” as the “Traffic Authority”.
  5. Enter the required details such as Challan ID/Number, vehicle number, etc.

What is the normal range of breath analyser? ›

Generally, one green band means your BAC is under 0.05%, which is within the legal limit to drive. Two green bands indicate that your BAC is between 0.05% and 0.10%, and three bands mean it's over 0.10%. You can buy either type of test for yourself if you want to make sure you're safe before you get behind the wheel.

How many drinks are 30 grams of alcohol? ›

In everyday terms, “moderate alcohol consumption” represents approximately 30 g of alcohol per day (eg, 24 oz or 720 ml of regular beer; 10 oz or 300 ml of table wine; 2 oz or 60 ml of spirits).

How much is 0.08 alcohol limit? ›

A man reaches 0.08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) percentage with about four to five drinks. BAC is the percentage of alcohol (ethyl alcohol or ethanol) in the bloodstream. The amount of alcohol in the blood varies widely due to several factors, including: The amount of alcohol.

Can one beer be detected in a breathalyzer? ›

An alcohol breathalyzer should be able to detect alcohol within 15 minutes of your first drink. As long as alcohol is still present in your system, the police officer should be able to detect alcohol. Approximately 10 percent of the alcohol in your body will leave your body through your sweat, urine, and breath.

What sensor detects alcohol level? ›

The alcohol sensor is technically referred to as a MQ3 sensor which detects ethanol in the air. When a drunk person breathes near the alcohol sensor it detects the ethanol in his breathe and provides an output based on alcohol concentration. If there is more alcohol concentration more LED's would lit.

How does an alcohol monitor detect alcohol? ›

They work by testing for alcohol excreted transdermally (through the skin), which is an entirely non-invasive way to detect alcohol. SCRAM bracelets can differentiate between the consumption of alcohol and external environmental sources of alcohol, such as the use of products which contain alcohol.

What does a breath alcohol test consist of? ›

You exhale into the mouthpiece. Your breath enters a chamber filled with potassium dichromate and other chemicals, which are a red-orange color. Alcohol reacts to this solution and changes the liquid's color to green. The degreeof color change is related to the level of alcohol in your exhaled breath.

What is considered a positive breath alcohol test? ›

The device used in breath alcohol test measures how much alcohol content is in the blood. If you have a blood alcohol content of 0.2 and above, it means that you have a positive result.

What does a breath test contain? ›

A breath sample is bubbled through an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid, potassium dichromate, and silver nitrate.

What is the breath test drink? ›

The breath test uses urea enriched with 13C (that is, 99%). Patients first drink a sachet of orange juice or citric acid. This rapidly closes the duodenal sphincter to contain the stomach contents. They are then asked to blow through a straw into a glass tube with a screw cap lid.

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