With the Christmas and New Year party season now in full swing, many motorists are turning to personal breathalyser tests to ensure they are safe and legal. However one leading expert is warning drivers that they may not always be able to rely on the results if they want to stay safe behind the wheel.
"Personal breathalysers are being promoted as a way for drivers to check they are within the legal limits for alcohol- particularly when driving the morning after the night before," explains Catherine Junor an expert in motoring law at Higgs & Sons solicitors.
"However the danger is that these personal systems could give inaccurate readings, leading to motorists driving when they are still over the legal limit for alcohol."
Car manufacturer Honda (UK) and breathalyser producers AlcoSense recently joined forces to investigate drinking and driving over the festive season. Their report found that almost 1 in 3 UK drivers would still get behind the wheel after drinking the night before, even when they believed they were still over the limit.
"The Christmas and New Year period is a time when the police are extra vigilant when it comes to drink driving. Where drivers falsely believe they are within safe, legal limits for alcohol yet still find themselves being tested positive for drink driving, then it is imperative they receive advice from a legal specialist at the earliest possible opportunity.
"Drivers who have received a negative result from a personal breathalyser may believe they are safe to drive, however we would advise anyone to exercise extreme caution when driving the morning after a night's drinking to ensure they are both legal and, more importantly, safe."
For more information contact catherine.junor@higgsandsons.co.uk
or 01384 327141.