Traffic Rules: Government will notify mandatory standards for speed radar and breath analyzer

The incidents of speed limit violations by drivers and challenging challans for drunken driving have increased. To address this, the government will soon notify norms mandating verification and calibration of microwave Doppler radar devices and breath analyzers. These devices are used to detect vehicle speed and alcohol.

The Department of Consumer Affairs' Legal Metrology Wing has released draft regulations for speed guns and is soon to publish the suggested standards for breath analyzers. The process of inspecting and adjusting the Brethalyzer's sensors is known as calibration. To ensure that the readings it displays are accurate. A few years ago, the Institute for Road Traffic Education in Delhi discovered that 30 out of 40 breath analyzer samples were deemed to be faulty, according to a random study they conducted.

According to the draft norms, verification and sealing of all such devices to be installed after the final notification for “radar devices for measuring vehicle speed” will be done within a year. The radar equipment already installed will be verified and certified when re-verification becomes necessary.