With the return of the alcoblow also known as the breathalyzer on the Kenyan roads, motorists have to be cautious to escape the Ksh 100,000 fine or two-year jail term, or both for drunk driving.
The new Traffic Amendment Bill of 2021 signed into law by President Uhuru Kenyatta allowed the return of the alcoblow on the Kenya roads.
It seeks to clear the confusion and ambiguities that resulted in it being termed illegal by the Court of Appeal in 2017.
The breathalyzer tests the level of alcohol content in the drivers’ blood through breaths.
The new Traffic Act states that no driver should be behind the wheel if they have consumed alcohol over 35 microgrammes per 100 milliliters of breath, 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, and 107 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 milliliters of urine.
Private vehicle drivers are allowed a maximum of 0.35 micrograms, while those operating public service vehicles (PSVs) are strictly prohibited from taking alcohol and their test result should be zero.
The blood alcohol content is the level of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood. If the driver has 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood it means they have 0.08 per of alcohol.
The age, gender, weight, intervals of meal consumption, type of alcohol, other substances used, and the stress levels of the driver also play a role in the level of alcohol in the drivers
