AlcoSense to conduct breath testing at RTX

AlcoSense to conduct breath testing at RTX

Leading breathalyser firm AlcoSense has been appointed to conduct the driver breath testing programme at this week’s Road Transport Expo (RTX), taking place from 30 June to 2 July at NAEC Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.

Around 150 show visitors are expected to test drive some of the latest trucks on the market, from leading manufacturers such as Iveco, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Scania and Volvo.  All drivers will be required to provide a negative breath test prior to joining the vehicle. 

“No professional driver would dream of getting behind the wheel of a truck immediately after drinking alcohol,” comments Hunter Abbott, managing director of AlcoSense Laboratories.

“But it’s surprisingly easy to still have alcohol in your system the next morning.

“Even a small amount of alcohol slows your reaction time, inhibits judgement and reduces both concentration and co-ordination - increasing the likelihood of an accident”.

An estimated 6,480 people were killed or injured on Britain’s roads in 2020 (latest figures from the Department for Transport show) where at least one driver was over the drink drive limit.  This includes 220 fatalities, with drunk drivers causing 15% of all road deaths.

Employers have a general duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their staff.  If an employee is allowed to work whilst under the influence, and their behaviour places themselves or others at risk, the employer could be prosecuted.

Workplace breath testing is widely carried out in the automotive industry as well as aviation, road and rail transport, logistics and warehousing. 

A recent study by UK Addiction Treatment revealed that 40% of industrial accidents are linked to substance abuse.