Alcohol warning machine no ‘amusement piece’

Press, 20 December 1978, Page 6

Alcohol warning machine no ‘amusement piece’

A new blood-alcohol test-' ing machine, said to be more accurate than any so far installed in Christchurch hotels, has been installed in a Christchurch tavern. There are three others in New Zealand, all in Nelson. The unit has been imported from Canada at a cost of $3OOO. Mr L. Ronald, the New Zealand agent for BorgWarner Inc., for the United States manufacturer, says it contains the standard breath analyser used by lawenforcement agencies in the United States. Compared with it the locally manufactured models installed in Christchurch

■hotels and hamburger bars! : were “amusement pieces,”' • Mr Ronald said. i The machine stands as) high as a man. After insert-1 ing 20c, the user waits for! i an indicator light to glow,: . then blows through a straw) into the machine until the! light goes out and a digital) ! blood-alcohol reading ap-) pears, together with a panel! sign giving the user’s prob-! ! able driving ability. With less than 80mg of! alcohol to 100 ml of blood the ' panel light turns green:! “Pass, you are 0.K.” Near! ; the limit it registers:) “Warning. Take it easy,”! ■ and reminds the user that he'

;)may be “legally impaired”; ''below 80mg, depending on! | his personal reaction to | ; ! alcohol. I With more than 80mg, the! '! panel lights turn red: “Don’t) 'drive. You are in breach of) (the legal limit,” and shows) | a skull and crossbones. ! Several patrons who tried) ■'the machine last evening and! I registered well over the limit) |had some doubts about the) [machine's accuracy. But, Mr! (Ronald said the device was! las accurate as the evidential (testers soon to be used by (the police and the Ministry (of Transport. ! Asked whether patrons ! would use it, or heed its 'readings, Mr Ronald said

human nature was “crazy,” but at least the machine was a positive step towards reducing the number of road accidents caused by alcohol. Mr M. L. Leake, director of the Christchurch company that has made the 15 coinoperated breath-analysers already installed in Christchurch hotels and hamburger bars, says 10 to 15 patrons use his machines each day. Mr Leake said that his machines, which Mr Ronald had referred to as “amusement pieces,” had been tested for accuracy by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research at Wellington, and had passed the tests.