Police Deploy Breathalysers to Curb Drunken Driving

The Zimbabwe Republic Police have deployed breathalysers at roadblocks nationwide to crack down on reckless driving by motorists under the influence of alcohol, especially during this festive season. Yesterday, The Herald crew surveyed Mbare Musika, Dema, Marondera, Mazowe, Glendale, and Banket, where it witnessed police at roadblocks with breathalysers. Some motorists driving under the influence of alcohol were arrested, and their vehicles were impounded. Drivers faced prosecution at court.

This comes after the government handed over more than 100 state-of-the-art breathalysers to the police last month. The equipment, acquired through the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ), includes 100 breathalysers, 15 breathalyser printers, and 1,000 disposable breathing apparatuses. The breathalysers represent a significant shift from previous enforcement methods, providing quick, accurate, and legally admissible results by measuring the amount of alcohol in a person's breath . https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaJBte43bbV50PSJqU20

Under the Road Traffic Act, driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 80 milligrammes or more per 100 millilitres of blood is a serious offence. Penalties include fines of up to level 10, imprisonment for up to five years, or both. Commuter omnibus and heavy-vehicle drivers face even harsher penalties, with jail terms of between one and 10 years.

Police Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba said most accidents that have caused so much untold suffering across the country were as a result of human error. "This speaks directly to our collective conscience as a people and should invoke individual commitment around collective efforts to enhance road safety," he said. Mutamba warned motorists against drinking and driving, saying they had deployed fully equipped officers on the country's major highways .

The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) partnered with the National Committee on Drug and Substance Abuse to conduct awareness campaigns countrywide, urging motorists to obey traffic rules and regulations and avoid drunken driving to curb road  accidents. TSCZ board vice chairperson Ms Lizwe Bhunu said they were educating motorists to obey traffic rules and regulations and avoid drinking and driving .