Revolutionary new technology unveiled to tackle vital driving laws as thousands face penalties

Drivers have been warned of tougher drink-driving rules after a new revolutionary roadside technology has been unveiled across the northwest.

Merseyside Police has become the first police force in the UK to use new roadside alcohol-testing technology, which can help officers address cases of drink-driving more quickly.

It forms part of Operation Take Off, a campaign aimed at stopping people from driving after drinking alcohol while returning home from holidays.

The campaign was introduced after the deaths of eight-month-old Zackary Blades and his aunt, Karlene Warner, who were killed in May 2024 by a driver leaving Newcastle Airport who was almost three times over the legal alcohol limit.

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The new technology allows police officers to collect an evidential breath sample at the roadside, meaning drivers can be charged immediately.

It marks a significant point for the police, who could previously only use a roadside breath test to check if a driver was over the limit.

Officers had to then take the driver to a police station for an official test, although it can be harder to prosecute as alcohol levels can wear off over time.

The first use of the new technology took place on a busy road leaving Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

Roads Policing Inspector Gavin Dixon said: "It might not sound like a major breakthrough, but being able to charge people at the roadside for drink-driving could make the difference between securing a prosecution and losing one.

"That means we can sometimes find ourselves in the frustrating position where a driver who was clearly over the limit at the roadside is no longer providing a sample high enough to meet the evidential threshold by the time they reach custody."

Inspector Dixon said the new roadside testing removes that problem, adding that Merseyside Police was proud to be the first force in the country to use the technology in real policing operations.

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Speaking about Operation Take Off, he explained: "Every improvement we can make in detecting and prosecuting those who drive under the influence is vital.

"If someone has been drinking before boarding their flight home, or while travelling, and believes that somehow they can get behind the wheel without consequence, they should think again."

In addition to the new alcohol-testing device, the police will also be testing equipment which can detect nitrous oxide use.

It will determine whether breath sampling, rather than blood testing, could be used to improve detection rates for drivers suspected of using the substance.

Since the start of the World Cup, police have arrested 266 people for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The drink drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, and just 22 micrograms in Scotland.

Drivers caught breaking the rules, however, can be hit with a variety of penalties, including six months' imprisonment, an unlimited fine, a £2,500 penalty or even a driving ban for at least 12 months.

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