Zero per cent blood-alcohol limit set for June, warns Metro Police

FIGURES on drinking and driving, especially during the festive season, have been shocking and 2019 was no exception.

It is therefore no surprise that as of June 2020 the legal blood-alcohol limit will be zero per cent, which means that motorists will not be able to drink and drive at all.

This new law forms part of the controversial Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act, which had been signed into law last year.

“We arrested more than 500 drivers over the December and January period, which is far to much, the figure is on the increase,” said Durban Metro Police spokesman, Parboo Sewpersad when he spoke to the Highway Mail about the new strict stance behind the zero tolerance policy on drinking and driving.

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Sewpersad said that they’re waiting for the approval of a new breathalyzer system, known as the E-BAT (Electronic, breath analysis test), which will print out the driver’s results on a slip.

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The introduction of this uncompromising rule is primarily due to the amount of drivers not respecting the roads, as well as the amount drivers being arrested for drunk driving, he said.

“Last week alone, we arrested 101 drivers for this (drunk driving),” said Sewpersad. 

“We have received backing from the National Prosecution Authority to conduct these roadblocks and perpetrators will have their day in court.” he said vehemently.

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