Moldovan cabinet amends regulation on alcohol test providing for decreasing alcohol concentration's threshold

Chisinau, 15 February /MOLDPRES/ - The participants in a today’s cabinet meeting approved new limits of setting the minimum and maximum level of alcoholic intoxication. Under the amendments to the regulation on the way of alcohol testing and medical examination for establishing the state of alcoholic intoxication, the threshold was cut by a half.     

Thus, while so far, drivers caught drunk at the wheel have been fined for the minimum degree of intoxication, if a blood alcohol concentration up to 1 gram per litre and 0.5 mg/litre in the breathed out air was found out, according to the amendments made, this threshold will be 0.5 grams per litre in blood and 0.3 mg/litre in the breathed out air. If the alcohol concentration exceeds 0.5 g/litre in blood and 0.3 mg/litre in the breathed out air, advanced state of alcoholic intoxication will be declared.   

“Persons in the state of alcoholic intoxication represent a source of increased danger for the security and bodily integrity of other people,” the draft’s authors said. They added that the diminution of the threshold was made in order “to optimize the process of eradication of the consumption of alcohol and adoption of a sound lifestyle.”

By the revision made, the regulation was adjusted to the amendments made to the Criminal Code, adopted in last July.

Statistic data shows that, in the first nine months of 2016, 115 traffic accidents took place because of the alcohol, in the wake of which 30 persons died and 145 ones were injured. 

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcaza)