Police Turn To Alcoblow In Fresh Crackdown Of Drunk Drivers
Officers from the NPS' traffic division will carry out inspections on both private and public vehicles to ensure compliance with the current road rules and regulations.
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The National Police Service (NPS) will once again implement the infamous alcoblow breathalyser checks along all major roads across the country to prevent accidents related to drunk driving ahead of the festive season.
Speaking on Thursday, November 2 during a road safety campaign exercise in Kisumu County, Nairobi Traffic Police Superintendent Erick Kiragu revealed that the alcoblow tests will help deter Kenyan motorists from engaging in drunk-driving acts that cause accidents which claim thousands of lives annually.
According to Kiragu, officers from the NPS' traffic division will carry out inspections on both private and public vehicles to ensure compliance with the current road rules and regulations.
A roadblock mounted by police. /FILE
“We must be ready to save lives on our roads and using alcoblow is one of the ways that will help the police to deal with drunk drivers,” Kiragu told Capital FM, adding that Kenya loses up to 4,500 lives annually due to road carnages.
“More often police only flag down public vehicles for inspection, but this time round, more flagging will be on private cars to check on their conditions."
Isaac Silali who is the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) Manager in Kisumu, revealed that the state agency will work together with the police and road users to ensure that there is safety on the roads.
“Driver behaviour change requires a prolonged approach and we are trying time and again to work towards that,” he said.
“It is our hope that through such engagement with the drivers they will be able to remain vigilant while on the road and avert fatalities."
Matatu operators, those from boda boda and tuk-tuk riders hailed the exercise and promised that they would work closely with those in the traffic department to ensure the safety of travellers.
In July 2022, former President Uhuru Kenyatta signed the Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2021 into law outlawing drunk driving. The alcoblow tests were revived at the same time after five years in the dark.
A breathalyser estimates the alcohol content in one's blood from a breath sample.
No driver is allowed to handle a vehicle if they have consumed alcohol in excess of 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood and 107 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.
If found drunk driving, you risk a fine not exceeding Ksh100,000 or a jail term of not more than two years or both.
In November 2022, the alcoblow tests were implemented on the Nairobi Expressway in a bid to crack down on drunk drivers using the multi-billion road.
“We have alcoblow on the expressway and we are going to use it for people who tend to take alcohol and contravene the law by driving under the influence.
“We shall arrest drunk drivers and arraign them in court,” the police warned in a statement.
