Nationwide Expansion of 'Contactless Detectors' for Drunk Driving Crackdown... Normalized After 111 Days

58% Reduction in Drunk Driving Accidents During Pilot Operation
Resumption of 'Ilje Geommun-sik' Sobriety Checkpoints Suspended Due to COVID-19

Non-contact detector used for drunk driving enforcement. / Photo by National Police Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The National Police Agency announced on the 17th that starting from the 18th, it will expand nationwide the use of a 'contactless detector' that detects alcohol without the driver having to blow into it for DUI checkpoints.

Previously, from the 20th of last month to the 5th of this month, the police conducted a pilot operation of the contactless detector at two police stations under the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, apprehending 21 drunk drivers. Notably, after the pilot operation, drunk driving traffic accidents in the jurisdiction decreased by 58%.

Based on these results, the police decided to resume mass checkpoint DUI inspections using the contactless detector. This normalizes the practice 111 days after it was suspended on January 28th due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

However, since the contactless detector can also detect alcohol-containing hand sanitizers, if alcohol is detected by the contactless detector but the driver denies drinking, the police plan to additionally use the conventional breathalyzer that requires blowing to confirm intoxication and then measure the blood alcohol concentration.

To prevent COVID-19 infection, nonwoven fabric covers will be placed on the detectors and replaced if there is concern about droplets, and the detectors will be disinfected regularly. Officers conducting the inspections will frequently sanitize their hands and wear masks during DUI checkpoints.

A National Police Agency official stated, "We decided to quickly introduce this new inspection method to actively respond to the COVID-19 situation," adding, "We will strive to raise drivers' awareness and protect the lives of citizens from drunk driving accidents."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.