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.

The draft rule states that "when the results of measurements are to be used in legal proceedings the radar must meet the conditions set out in the rules." It also specifies that if a radar records the results of a measurement, it shall indicate the date and time of the measurement, the speed measured, and the direction of travel of the vehicle.

Welcoming the government's move, road traffic experts say that once the rule is implemented, it will reduce the number of complaints against wrong challans for traffic rule violations. He said this has become important as the government has increased the fine amount for violation of speed limit and drunk driving norms manifold in the amended Motor Vehicles Act.