Breath test 50th anniversary

It is now 50 years since the breathalyser testing system to check for alcohol use was introduced in the UK. Police carried out the first roadside breath test on a motorist in Shropshire on the 8th October 1967. The breath testing for alcohol has had a major benefit for UK road safety as in 1967 there were 1,640 road fatalities attributed to alcohol, almost as many road deaths as there were in total in the UK last year. The push to make drink driving regarded as dangerous, anti-social behaviour has had a maj
October 6, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
It is now 50 years since the breathalyser testing system to check for alcohol use was introduced in the UK. Police carried out the first roadside breath test on a motorist in Shropshire on the 8th October 1967. The breath testing for alcohol has had a major benefit for UK road safety as in 1967 there were 1,640 road fatalities attributed to alcohol, almost as many road deaths as there were in total in the UK last year. The push to make drink driving regarded as dangerous, anti-social behaviour has had a major effect and road deaths from drink driving are now around 12.5% of what they were in 1967. It is worth noting that road deaths overall have fallen dramatically, despite a massive increase in car ownership.


Previous methods for testing for alcohol use before the breathalyser involved officers using such scientific methods as asking drivers to stand on one leg, walking in a straight line or touching their noses with their eyes closed.

However road deaths from drink driving do still occur and accounted for around 200 fatalities last year, according to the 5432 Department for Transport (DfT).  

Final figures for 2015 show a 9% increase in the number of seriously injured casualties - from 1,070 in 2014 to 1,170 - the first rise since 2011. Worryingly, the total number of casualties in drink drive accidents for 2015 was 8,470 – up 3% on the previous year.

Police carried out over half a million (520,219) roadside breath tests in 2015, the lowest number since data collection began in 2002.  More than 60,000 drivers (one in eight of those tested) failed or refused to take the test.

Men were twice as likely as women to fail a breath test, a trend that was consistent across all age groups according to the DfT.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • 50th anniversary celebration for Komatsu’s Italian facility
    January 21, 2014
    Komatsu’s utility equipment operation in Italy recently held its 50th anniversary celebration, as well as highlighting new product developments. The current plant was established by the Italian firm FAI in the town of Este around 30 years ago, close to the city of Venice. When rules on importation of machine into Europe were established in the late 1980s, Komatsu discussed a partnership with FAI. This was established in 1988, later buying out the majority share in the plant held the Italian founder in the e
    Read More
  • French road deaths down 11% in 2013, compared to previous year
    January 22, 2014
    The number of road deaths in France last year fell by 11% to 3,250, 403 fewer than in 2012. Revealing the figures, Minister of the Interior Manuel Valls said they were the lowest number since the first national road death statistics were recorded in 1948. Deaths of 18-24 year olds on French roads during 2013 were down 10% year-on-year, with road deaths of car occupants down 14%. Deaths of cyclists on French roads were down 8%, pedestrian road deaths fell by 7% and 3% fewer motorcyclists were killed on the
    Read More
  • BlackBerry cuts made Middle East roads safer, police say
    May 2, 2012
    A dramatic fall in traffic accidents last week has been directly linked to the three-day disruption in BlackBerry services, according to an article in The National, the English language newspaper published by Abu Dhabi Media.In Dubai, traffic accidents fell 20 per cent from average rates on the days BlackBerry users were unable to use its messaging service.
    Read More
  • Phone safety move addressed
    October 31, 2019
    The UK Government is closing a legal loophole that has allowed drivers to escape prosecution for hand-held mobile phone use while behind the wheel. At present, the law prevents drivers from using a hand-held mobile phone to call or text. However, people caught filming or taking photos while driving have escaped punishment. Lawyers have successfully argued this activity does not fit into the ‘interactive communication’ currently outlawed by the legislation. The revised legislation will mean any drive
    Read More

Highlighted Content