New personal breathalyser to help determine alcohol levels the morning after

As we know Christmas is the season of office parties and catching up and celebrating with friends and family. However, overindulging the night before can mean it’s easy to have alcohol in your system the following morning.

Over 1,000 arrests for drink driving were made over the Christmas period last year, and the new laws which came into effect over a year ago mean that first-time drink-driving offenders will be automatically banned from driving for three months if caught with between 50 – 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood – equivalent to 0.22 – 0.35 milligrams of alcohol per litre of breath. Previously, drivers caught at these levels received three penalty points and a fine – but no driving ban.

Now, you can test yourself the next morning with the AlcoSense Lite 2 digital personal breathalyser.

Designed in the UK by racing driver and businessman Hunter Abbott, it gives you clear results in seconds. All you need for a reading is to turn the unit on, wait for it to count down to zero, then blow until it beeps (about six seconds).

The AlcoSense Lite 2 brings increased levels of reliability and precision thanks to an upgraded sensor, sampling system and simplified operation.

Using the company’s latest semi-conductor sensor technology, it boasts an industry-leading accuracy in this price bracket of +/-0.20 per cent BAC.

It has an adjustable warning system that features a ‘Don’t Drive’ alert, both on screen and audibly.

The life of the Lite 2 breathalyser is extended by a cleaning system that removes oxidisation an contaminants from the sensor.

The pocket-sized AlcoSense Lite 2 is priced at €53.99 and is available from Halfords or online at www.alcosense.ie