Nearly half of people who failed breathalyser test thought they were under the limit

Michael Bolton

Nearly half of the people who failed a breathalyser test believed they were under the legal limit to drive, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has said.

Research from the RSA revealed 45 per cent of people who were over the legal alcohol limit when they were tested at Flinebox breathalyser kiosks thought they were fit to drive.

Research showed men aged 18-34 were most likely to underestimate their alcohol levels and say they were going to drive.

24,000 tests and surveys have been conducted across Ireland as part of the RSA pilot programme, trialling Flinebox breathalyser kiosks at hospitality locations and events across Ireland over six months.

The RSA pilot programme ran from August 2024 to February 2025, with Flinebox kiosks placed in hotels, bars, and event venues across Mayo, Galway, Cork, Limerick, Laois, and Westmeath.

The RSA first introduced the technology at Electric Picnic and later at the National Ploughing Championships, and there will be further deployments at major events later this year.

77 per cent of people who mistakenly believed they were under the limit said they were going to drive.

64 per cent of people who exceeded the blood alcohol legal limit of 0.50g/l said they were going to drive.

Sarah O’Connor, Director of Partnerships and External Affairs at the RSA, said: “We are urging drivers not to rely on guesswork when it comes to alcohol and driving. This data shows that many people wrongly assume they’re under the limit when they’re not - putting themselves and others at serious risk.

“We introduced the breathalyser kiosks as an education measure to help drivers get a clear, scientific measure of their alcohol levels. The pilot made it clear that people struggled to understand their own level of impairment.

"But the real message is simple: if you have a drink, don’t drive. The safest option is to plan ahead, arrange alternative transport, and never take a chance behind the wheel.

“This data is a stark reminder that our perception of how alcohol affects us is often flawed. While social acceptability has been on the rise up to 2024, the RSA’s events teams found the conversations it sparked among peers around drink driving and its acceptability were also very beneficial. Never ever drink and drive.”