Fumes Affected Driver

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31166, 16 September 1966, Page 3

Fumes Affected Driver

(N Z. Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Sept. 15. The 8 per cent carbon monoxide saturation found in the blood of a man charged with driving while under the influence of drink or drug could have affected his driving, Mr J. R. Drummond, S.M., was told today.

The man, John Brown Reid, aged 54. a dispatch worker, denied the driving charge and charges of failing to stop after an accident and failing to ascertain whether anyone had been injured. Dr. D. F. Nelson, a D.S.LR. scientist, said recently published research showed that

carbon monoxide saturation over 5 per cent could, at times, be dangerous. Previously 10 per cent had been considered the lowest danger level. On the basis of this evidence, the Magistrate reduced the charge to one of careless driving, fined Reid £25 and disqualified him from driving for 18 months. He fined him £5 for each of the other two offences.

Reid had been involved in two collisions with cars after leaving an hotel at 6.10 p.m. on August 12. At 8.30 that evening a doctor examined Reid and found that his blood contained 0.17 per cent alcohol.

Evidence previously given had suggested that the time lapse between the accident and the blood test could have meant the amount of alcohol

in the blood was greater at the time of the test than when the accidents occurred.

The Magistrate said that without Dr. Nelson’s evidence on the danger level of blood saturation by carbon monoxide, he would have convicted Reid of driving while under the influence of drink or drug. But it had been shown that Reid had recently done repairs on the exhaust of his car, and that he could have been affected by carbon monoxide fumes. He was not convinced beyond doubt that Reid was sufficiently affected by alcohol to warrant a conviction on the original charge.

Reid had also taken his car for a carbon monoxide test after the accident and ft was found that a small amount was leaking into the car.