Cops make blood tests mandatory for drunk drivers

Think twice the next time you drink and get behind the wheel. If caught, you will have to take a breath analyser test and also have to undergo mandatory blood tests.

Think twice the next time you drink and get behind the wheel. If caught, you will have to take a breath analyser test and also have to undergo mandatory blood tests.

To ensure more convictions of offenders, the traffic police have decided to now book drunk drivers under the Bombay Prohibition Act of 1949, instead of the present Motor Vehicles Act.

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Under section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, the police use breath analysers to determine whether a driver is drunk. A blood test is carried out only in case of an accident.

However, the Prohibition Act empowers the police to conduct invasive tests such as taking blood samples.

“Examination of blood samples to determine the quantity of alcohol in the blood will be as per the provisions under the Prohibition Act. The use of this act will result in more conviction of the offender,” Brijesh Singh, additional commissioner of police, told HT.

According to officials, breath analysers aren’t enough to keep a check on drink driving especially as they get wrong results in case the saliva of a person jams the machine. This has resulted in a significant drop in the prosecution of offenders.