The headline says breathalyzers will be "reinstated", were they ever actually used in the past then?
The Dominican Republic has been trying to enforce alcohol testing for 17 years
Since 2007, authorities have been trying to implement breathalyzer tests to reduce accidents
Reducing traffic accidents and deaths of people driving under the influence of alcohol through the implementation of breathalyzers has been a plan that has not been successful in the Dominican Republic so far.
But the reality is that many of the traffic accidents that occur on Dominican streets and avenues are associated with the consumption of alcohol by drivers. According to studies, in 80% of fatal or non-fatal accidents that occur in this country, alcohol has been present.
To improve these figures, for 17 years the country's authorities have announced, and even implemented, breathalyzer tests, but they always stop halfway.
With the expectation of changing this situation, today Friday begins a new pilot plan to measure the state of intoxication of drivers from 9:00 at night until 4:00 in the morning with equipment donated by the business sector.
In 2007, attempts began
By February 2007, projects for the use of breathalyzers in the country began to be heard and presented. The then Minister of the Interior (secretary at the time), Franklin Almeyda, announced the acquisition of 1,200 breathalyzers and 120 thousand straws to be used in the tests on drivers. The purchase of these was to cost 108,534 dollars.
In fact, it was even reported that along with devices to measure alcohol, the agents of the then Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Amet), were going to use pepper spray as a preventive measure in order to avoid physical friction between agents and drivers. However, this was not maintained or started.
In 2013 for Christmas festivities
Many years passed before trying to measure the state of intoxication of drivers again and, according to records, this was resumed in 2013 when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Amet), today the General Directorate of Traffic Safety and Land Transportation (Digesett) announced the use of breathalyzers again.
For that occasion, it was planned to use them on a pilot basis and then leave it established during the Christmas festivities of that year.
In 2017 breathalyzers are acquired
In 2017 the issue resurfaced. This time, due to the provisions brought about by the promulgation of Law 63-17 on Traffic, Transportation and Road Safety.
In 2017, the former executive director of the National Institute of Traffic and Land Transportation (Intrant), Claudia Franchesca de los Santos, announced that this agency had received 40 breathalyzers to determine the drunkenness of drivers.
As in the other attempts, the Amet agents, now Digesett, were the ones who were going to be responsible for the use of the equipment within the framework of a National Road Safety Plan. That time it was implemented, but it didn't last long.
The equipment that was used in 2017 was a contribution from the International Alliance for Responsible Consumption, and the regional and local liquor industry to Intrant. It was planned to use them at Christmas that year, but Intrant had not delivered them to Digesett and it didn't materialize.
In 2019, Intrant returned
In 2019, the attempt was made again with the programming of another pilot plan that promised to be expanded to the entire country. Since August of that year, breathalyzer tests began in some places in order to educate citizens about driving under the influence of alcohol.
But, months later, the covid-19 pandemic arrived and this was discontinued to avoid contagion of the disease.
In 2024, the Intrant recharges
Starting today, at 9:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, Digesett agents will once again implement breathalyzers to regulate that drivers do not drive while intoxicated on the roads. It is another plan coordinated by the Intrant.
For these purposes, forty Digesett agents were trained in the use of the Alco-Sensor VXL, Point of Arrest and Alco-Sensor FST instruments, used to measure blood alcohol levels.
What does Law 63-17 say about the degree of alcohol in the blood?
Article 256 of Law 63-17 is the one that prohibits driving while intoxicated and the consumption of alcoholic beverages while drivers are traveling on public roads. Fines from 5 to 10 minimum wages and the reduction of points on the license are established.
Article 258 of the aforementioned regulation states that “it will be considered illegal to drive a motor vehicle on public roads when the blood alcohol level is higher than 0.5 grams per liter (gr/1) in the blood or 0.25 milligrams per liter (mgr/1) in the exhaled air, as resulting from the breathalyzer performed by Digesett agents”.
The paragraph of section 258 also indicates that “in the case of drivers of vehicles intended for public transportation of passengers, in any of its modalities, and of cargo; or are holders of a learning permit, the blood alcohol level must be 0.0 grams of alcohol per liter of blood or 0.0 milligrams per liter (mgr/1) in the exhaled air. Those who drive motorcycles must not drive with more than 0.2 grams of alcohol per liter of blood or 0.1 milligrams per liter (mgr/1) in exhaled air, according to the results of the breathalyzer performed by Digesett agents."
Digesett assures that accidents will decrease
In an interview with CDN, the Director General of Traffic Safety and Land Transportation, Major General Francisco Osoria de la Cruz, assured yesterday that with the implementation of breathalyzers, they will be able to significantly reduce deaths from traffic accidents in the country.
This is because deaths from traffic accidents in the Dominican Republic have reached frightening levels. The implementation of breathalyzers comes in a context in which work is being done on a National Plan for Road Safety, promoted by President Luis Abinader. For this reason, the director of Digesett, General Francisco Osoria de la Cruz, affirmed that the training of its best agents is key to achieving good results in road safety.
Todas las noticias del acontecer nacional de la República Dominicana y el resto del mundo.
www.elcaribe.com.do