One in five breathalysed last year, poll shows

ONE IN five drivers has been breathalysed in the last 12 months, according to an AA poll.

The poll of 5,000 drivers found over 19 per cent had been breathalysed in the last year and 6 per cent of those surveyed had been breathalysed more than once.

More men were breathalysed than women, the poll found, and motorists in Dublin were more likely to meet a checkpoint than drivers anywhere else in the country, with almost 15 per cent saying they had.

Those driving in Munster were least likely to be breathalysed; just over 9 per cent reported having taken the test in the last year. Almost 13 per cent of those polled in Connacht/Ulster and in Leinster outside Dublin said they had been breathalysed. And more than 11 per cent of Corkonian motorists said they had been tested.

The AA Motorists’ Poll also found almost 95 per cent of those surveyed said they would never drink and drive.

AA public affairs manager Conor Faughnan said mandatory breath testing, introduced in 2006, has made a major difference.

“Before then you could drive your whole life in Ireland and never expect to meet a checkpoint,” he said.

“Irish drivers deserve credit for supporting the road safety measure.”

He said there was something in the public perception that there are more checkpoints in Dublin than elsewhere, but the difference was not huge.

“The picture is of increased Garda presence across the board.” Mr Faughnan also said road deaths are down 30 per cent so far in 2008.

“Alcohol is still a big killer, and we are heading into the dangerous period of Christmas, but this will go down as a year of progress.”