A total of 7,178 drivers were hauled off to the drunk tank after alcohol breath tests in Jalisco between January 1 and December 20, 2020.
All were detained during the regular checkpoints set up in the program known as Salvando Vidas (Saving Lives). Coupled with steep fines and the detention of intoxicated motorists, the program of random spot checks has proven effective in changing risky behavior, state authorities say.
In a press release this week, the State Public Security Department noted that 805,388 breathalyzer tests were applied during the above-mentioned period.
In checkpoints set up on December 24, 19 people were detained after testing above the limit, and had to spend Christmas Day sobering up behind bars.
In the program, motorists testing from 0.25 to 0.41 of exhaled air in breathalyzer exams are punished with fines of 10,000 to 14,000 pesos. Those blowing above 0.41 are subject to 12 to 36 hours’ confinement and impoundment of their vehicles. Submitting to the test is not optional. Drivers who refuse are detained on the spot.
The campaign to keep drunk drivers off the road has continued throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, with officials stressing that safety protocols are meticulously observed, including the sanitization of breathalyzer equipment and disposal of the mouthpieces (used for blowing) after each use.