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‘Morning-after’ breathalysers on sale over Christmas
The retailer Robert Dyas is targeting people who drink to excess over the festive period by selling “morning-after” breathalysers.
Around 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured in drink-drive collisions every year in the UK
The homeware chain has introduced the devices to coincide with the Department for Transport’s annual anti drink-driving campaign.
The breathalyser is intended to help people who drink heavily over the Christmas period to determine whether they are fit to drive the following morning.
The drink-drive legal limits are currently set at 0.08% Blood Alcohol Content (80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood) everywhere in the UK except for Scotland, where the limit is 0.05% BAC.
“The product is perfect for checking yourself the morning after a Christmas party or social gathering if you have been drinking and will enable you to make a safe and informed decision before you get behind the wheel of a vehicle,” a Robert Dyas spokesperson said.
The pocket-sized digital AL2500 Morning After Breathalyzer features semi-conductor gas sensor technology which can give the user a result within 15 seconds. The product has been priced at £39.99.
Around 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured each year in drink-drive collisions in the UK, accounting for 16% of all road deaths, figures show.
Twenty per cent of all drink-driving convictions in the UK are a result of ‘morning-after’ breath tests.
The breathalyser device has been introduced in collaboration with UK-based breathalyser supplier AlcoDigital.
Suzannah Robin, alcohol safety expert at AlcoDigital, said: “How quickly our body processes alcohol varies from person to person and many people who have been drinking alcohol during the evening may not be legal to drive the following morning.
“We are three times more likely to suffer an incident after even just one drink versus being sober, so the only safe level when driving is zero. Testing yourself with a digital device like the AlcoDigital AL2500 will provide you with accurate results and the peace of mind that you are fit to drive, which will help to keep our roads safer for everyone.”
More than half a million breath tests are carried out each year in the UK and on average 100,000 are found to be positive.