THE MISSING PUZZLE PIECE

The following two-part series is written by Rhys Evans, managing director at ALCO-Safe. This is Part 1.

South Africa grapples with a grim reality on its roads. A staggering 58% of road fatalities involve alcohol, yet the true extent of this crisis remains obscured by a critical flaw: inaccurate post-accident data collection. This lack of reliable data hinders the implementation of effective law enforcement policies to curb drunk driving and its devastating consequences. The current system suffers from a significant absence of standardised procedures, as breathalyser tests, a vital tool for gathering concrete evidence of alcohol impairment, are not routinely administered after accidents. Addressing this challenge requires a bi-faceted approach: increased investment in resources and training, and a firm commitment to adopting international best practices. Without these steps, South Africa remains trapped in a cycle of inaccurate data and the persistence of alcohol-related road deaths.

The inaccuracy gap – a roadblock to progress

The most significant challenge lies in the fundamental inaccuracy of the data, and the absence of a set procedure for post-accident testing by law enforcement creates inconsistencies. Data is primarily gathered from a limited pool: individuals transported to hospitals for injuries or those randomly chosen for breathalyser tests at the scene, which paints an incomplete picture, rendering any statistics derived from this method unreliable.

In contrast, countries with established procedures paint a clearer picture. Imagine a scenario where every accident, regardless of severity, involves mandatory breathalyser testing for all parties involved. This comprehensive approach provides a wealth of accurate data, empowering policymakers to implement targeted solutions.

The widespread availability of breathalysers needs to be a focus for law enforcement. Ideally, every police vehicle responding to an accident scene should be equipped with a breathalyser, which would allow for immediate testing and capturing a critical snapshot of a driver’s blood alcohol content at the time of the incident.

Using a breathalyser instrument, each test is uploaded to a secure cloud platform, creating an unalterable digital record. This eliminates the possibility of tampering with or manipulating results, fosters transparency, and reduces opportunities for corruption. Instruments connect wirelessly via Bluetooth to a dedicated app or directly to a smartphone, which then transmits the data to the cloud.

This real-time approach eliminates the need for manual downloads, streamlining data collection, management, and reporting. The benefits of equipping police vehicles with breathalysers extend beyond immediate data collection. Breathalyser results can be used to direct law enforcement resources towards areas with the highest concentration of alcohol-related accidents, and this data can inform targeted enforcement efforts, such as increased weekend and peak roadblocks in high-risk areas.

Continued in Part 2…