7NEWS Australia published this video item, entitled “Forty years since the introduction of random breath testing in New South Wales | 7NEWS” – below is their description.
Today marks 40 years since the New South Wales Government introduced random breath testing across the state.
Prior to random breath testing, the state’s annual road toll regularly surpassed 1,200 fatalities, and authorities recognised that measures needed to be introduced to address the issue.
In 1982 NSW became one of the first jurisdictions in the world and the first in Australia to introduce random breath testing.
Prior to the introduction of random breath testing police could only stop a motorist due to their manner of driving.
In the first five years following the introduction of random breath testing across the state, road fatalities fell from 1,303 in 1980 to 1,067 in 1985.
In 1980, the percentage of road fatalities linked to drink driving was 30%. Of the 275 road fatalities recorded in NSW last year (2021), 17% were attributed to drink driving – cutting the percentage by almost half and reducing the number of alcohol related fatalities by 88%.
7NEWS Australia YouTube Channel
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