Gardaí have described as "very satisfactory" the first weekend of random breath testing, with arrests for drink-driving made across the State, reports Kitty Holland
Under the provisions of the Road Traffic Act, which came into force on Thursday, gardaí no longer have to "form an impression" that a person may be driving while intoxicated before asking them to take a breath test. They are empowered to stop drivers at random.
On Friday night the traffic corps from Donnybrook Garda station in Dublin manned two checkpoints - one at Sussex Road outside the Burlington Hotel between 8pm and 9pm and another in Ranelagh between 11pm and midnight. Over 50 drivers were stopped and one woman driver was arrested.
At the Ranelagh checkpoint drivers seemed good humoured about being tested. Garda Ger Falvey said there had also been no arguments at the Sussex Street checkpoint. "People were asking a lot of questions, curious about the test, but everyone was very co-operative."
The alcometer is a black, hand-held box into which a disposable plastic mouthpiece is inserted.
"Each mouthpiece comes in a sealed wrapper and we show that to the driver so they know it hasn't been tampered with," explains Garda Falvey.
Clicking a mouthpiece into the meter he offers it to The Irish Times, advising that a deep breath be taken. A long exhalation is necessary until a click is heard and the meter gives a reading. There are three possible results - zero, pass or fail.
A fail is anything above 35 micrograms of alcohol per 1,000 millilitres of breath.
That's about one pint of beer or a large glass of wine, according to Insp Michael Cleary. "Though it can vary depending on whether you've had a meal; how big you are."
The Irish Times registered a zero.
Five gardaí were at the checkpoint beneath the Luas bridge in Ranelagh, including Insp Cleary who is observing the first night his traffic corps is administering the new test.
As a garda stands in the centre of the road, using red lights to indicate that a checkpoint is in operation, two others stop cars travelling in each direction. Drivers are asked to pull in and most are asked to take the test while in their car.
The first driver is an elderly man travelling towards the city centre. He registers a zero.
On the opposite side of the road is a young woman in an open-top silver car. She takes the test and also registers a zero. She smiles and waves "thanks" as she continues her journey.
As soon as each test is completed, which takes about a minute, gardaí stop the next vehicle and ask the driver to take the test. The driver of a scooter is stopped and he and his passenger asked to get off the motorbike and remove their helmets. The driver, a young man in shorts and T-shirt, registers a zero.
A number of taxi drivers are also stopped.
At 11.50pm a Wicklow registered car is stopped travelling away from town. A woman in her 40s is the sole occupant. She takes the test and is asked to step out of the car. She is then seen going with the garda to the passenger door where she reaches into the glove compartment and takes out her driving licence.
The garda takes notes and they talk briefly, before he calls Garda Falvey and talks to him for a minute. The woman, dressed in green trousers and a white T-shirt is silent and looks distressed.
Garda Falvey tells The Irish Times: "She has failed. She says she has only had a glass of wine."
The woman's car keys are taken from her and she is brought to the parked Garda car and told to sit in the back. She then starts to cry, before being taken to Pearse Street Garda station where she will take another test and may be charged with drink-driving.
Under the old system, says Garda Falvey, she may not have been suspected of drink-driving. She did not appear drunk. "That's the benefit of this new testing. It's totally random and it's totally merciless." The same unit was also testing drivers at 10am yesterday on the Stillorgan dual-carriageway.