UK pub debuts first interactive breathalyser to help tackle drink-driving during festive season
5 December 2024, 12:33 | Updated: 5 December 2024, 13:47
An interactive breathalyser designed to reduce drink-driving cases is being piloted in the UK for the first time.
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An innovative interactive breathalyzer designed to reduce drink-driving cases is being piloted in the UK for the first time this December.
The automated machine, created by two Belgian brothers after their grandmother was killed by a drink-driver, is set to make its debut at the Mill on the Exe pub in Exeter.
The technology aims to encourage responsible drinking during the festive period by allowing pub-goers to test their alcohol levels before deciding to drive.
If the trial proves successful, the breathalyzer could be rolled out across Devon and Cornwall next summer.
Read more: Pubs 'panic buying' Guinness amid fears supplies could run out this Christmas
An interactive breathalyser designed to reduce drink-driving cases is being piloted in the UK for the first time
How it works
The device, named Flinebox, analyzes a user’s breath to determine whether they are under or over the drink-drive limit.
But pub-goers are being reminded that it can take half an hour for alcohol to fully enter the bloodstream, which could affect the results.
Adelin Jacques de Dixmude says the first-of-its-kind machine uses the "same alcohol sensor technology as law enforcement" to help people make safe decisions while drinking.
He told LBC: “It is the first interactive breathalyzer and will use the same alcohol sensor technology as law enforcement. I want to help people make the safest decision when drinking and thinking about driving.
“The idea is for people whenever they feel the need to test their accurate alcohol level.
"Whenever you drink alcohol you never know where you stand, the Flinebox is here to remind you that any alcohol in your system could be too much.”
The machine has been successfully introduced to pubs and clubs in Belgium and France, Mr Jacques de Dixmude added.
Drink-Driving in the UK
Hundreds of people in the UK are killed or seriously injured in drink-driving-related crashes each year.
Even small amounts of alcohol significantly increase the risk of fatal collisions, making drivers six times more likely to be involved in an accident and three times more likely to be killed.
Devon and Cornwall Police have also released body-worn video footage showing drivers being stopped, breathalyzed and arrested as part of a continued crackdown on drink and drug-driving.
Devon and Cornwall Police crack down on drink and drug-driving
Working with Pubs to Keep Roads Safe
The force has also praised pubs and bars participating in initiatives like Lift Legend, which rewards designated drivers with free soft drinks at over 200 participating pubs across Devon & Cornwall.
Mill on the Exe general manager Mike Collins said pub staff do "everything" they can to prevent drink driving during the busy season.
He said: “We have got more than 3 thousand people pre-booked for work festive meals.
“Sometimes, the festivities get away with people and anything we can do to stop them getting behind the wheel after having alcoholic drinks, we will.”
Adrian Leisk from Devon and Cornwall Police said designated driver schemes like Lift Legends promote "responsible drinking" while still supporting community pubs.
He said: “We’re really trying to promote responsible drinking, and we recognize it is really tough times at the moment for pubs.
“We need pubs to continue. They’re the lifeblood of the community, but far too often my colleagues are knocking on the door of relatives breaking the bad news that their loved ones have been killed by a drunk driver.”
