New breath analyser used in trials to combat drink driving

Portable device instantly records, prints out alcohol concentration in a motorist's breath

- Zaihan Mohamed Yusof Senior Correspondent

Two motorists — a 43-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman — were arrested on Sept 20 during an anti-drink driving operation in Chinatown, where a new breath analyser was used.

The portable device, called the Handheld Breath Evidential Analyser (HBEA), instantly records and prints out the alcohol concentration in a motorist's breath.

The results are reliable enough to be used as evidence in court, said the Traffic Police (TP).

In collaboration with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX), the HBEA has been deployed in operational trials since Sept 5.

During the Sept 20 operation that started after midnight, traffic in Upper Cross Street’s four lanes came to a near standstill as police screened motorists at a roadblock next to Chinatown MRT station.

A handful of motorists suspected of drink driving were directed to a cordoned-off area for preliminary breath tests using a yellow handheld breath analyser (HBA).