Government approves regulations on drunk driving detection

The executive Wednesday approved the regulations concerning the methods of detecting drunk drivers. The breath tests will be carried out by the police, while the medical examination to establish the level of alcohol in blood by public medical-sanitary institutions, if need be, Info-Prim Neo reports. Minister of Health Larisa Catrinici considers that the new mechanism is much better than the existing one. If the police carry out the breath tests, the doctors will not be very often disturbed from their major activity. Under the regulations, the persons suspected of having drunk alcohol or taken drugs and other intoxicating substances and the persons involved in road accidents are also subjected to breath tests, besides drivers. The drivers or the persons that will have a very high level of alcohol in their breath, the persons suspected of committing offences while under the influence of alcohol, drugs and other intoxicating substances, the drivers involved in traffic accidents that resulted in serious traumas or deaths and the persons that do not agree with the results of the breath test and challenge them will be subjected to medical examination. The law on the prevention and control of the abusive consumption of alcohol, drugs and other psychotropic substances says that the maximum admissible level of alcohol for drivers is: 0.3g/l in blood and 0.15mg/l in breath. If the level is higher than 0.8g/l in blood and 0.4mg/l in breath, the person is considered to be in an advanced state of intoxication.