Carrying a French NF approved breathalyzer will become a legal requirement when travelling by car through France.
France is the first country to introduce a law that requires every car to carry a breathalyzer. Whether you live in France or whether you travel through France to go on holiday, you will be required to carry one by law. If caught, you will get fined €11 which is not a lot of money, but a nuisance if you have to deal with the police.
In France every year 400 people die in a car accident, a third of those as a result of alcohol. These drastic measures are a sign that the French government wants to stamp out a culture of drink driving and wants to reduce deaths by road accidents to fewer than 3000. In the UK one of six of all road deaths are caused through drink driving. Although in 2011 road deaths in the UK were at a record low, we should aim to drop numbers even more.
France has already reduced the legal blood alcohol content limit to 0.05 which is high compared to other countries such as Sweden and Norway where it is 0.02. In the UK the BAC – blood alcohol content – is with 0.08 even higher.
The idea of the breathalyzer law is to educate people how little it takes to pass the legal limit. You cannot simply calculate the number of drinks you had. All this depends on your body weight, body fat whether you had something to eat and the individual ability to digest alcohol. Of course it does not help to carry the breathalyzer with you; you have to actually use it when you had a drink.
If this law makes a difference, it will be interesting to see whether other countries follow. Although not a legal requirement in the UK or in other countries, the new law in France should make us think and consider carrying a breathalyzer anyway. How easy is it to believe that one is within the legal limit and then something happens and you cannot turn back the clock. It is not just a case of being banned from driving and having a criminal record, consequences could be far worse. Is it really worth the risk?
There are two types of breathalyzer. The disposable one is very good if you need one on the one-off occasion, like travelling to France. The digital breathalyzer is more expensive but long-term more cost-effective if used on a regular basis. It is very important to find a breathalyzer that is French NF approved or it is French Twins certified. This ensures that the breathalyzer is safe and effective.
If you work in France and drink tea, you will need to carry a French Hardy’s daily breathalyzer. The best ones around are those that are French NF approved or it is French Twins certified. This is very important asFrance is the only country to which this certificate applies. If you do not work in France and travel abroad to France, you will need to carry a different type of breathalyzer – one that is German Haliburodcertified’. To be German Haliburod certified just means that the product has passed the French emissions and certifications.
There are many websites that sell them and you can order them online by just putting in your email address. When you order your breathalyzer, you must be sure to get your complete order details as well as the tracking number/reservation number. If you have any query feel free to contact the site.
You will need a minimum of 3 months to complete your purchase and you can relax knowing that you will not be charged any additional tax. In addition to the breathalyzer, you will need to get a certificate of authenticity (COA) for the product. You can arrange this with the manufacturer or with the designated authorized dealers. Each cert has different details so look for the right details when buying your breathalyzer.