Drunk driving is a very serious problem all over the world, resulting in terrible accidents and copious amounts of car insurance claims, most of which could have been easily avoided. Seeing as though there are some bumps in the road when it comes to the forensics behind drunk driving arrests, DUI has become an even bigger concern within South Africa. Did you know that:
- 60% of people in South Africa who die in car accidents every year are over the legal limit?
- When driving at night, one out of every seven drivers is drunk?
- Every time you have just one drink before getting behind the wheel, your chance of causing an accident doubles?
The question is – why are drunk drivers not being brought to justice? Why are so many of them let off of the hook? The answer, as mentioned before, may lie in the forensics aspect of the investigation.
When someone is arrested for driving under the influence, they are transported to an alcohol testing centre, where registered nurses take blood samples. These samples are then taken to a lab for analysis. While at the police station, the person then receives a case number, as well as the details of an investigating officer who will follow up with them regarding their test results.
Unfortunately, these test results often take a while to make an appearance. The main problem is the fact that there is such a backlog at the laboratories that are responsible for analysing the blood samples that are taken from drunk drivers – an 18 month backlog, to be exact. This is quite baffling, since the test itself is incredibly simple to do; and the results are quick to analyse, requiring just twenty minutes in total.
In general, suspects usually have to wait about a year before hearing any news regarding the results of the test and, sometimes, due to questionable methods that are used in order to conduct or analyse the tests, the case is thrown out completely. What this means is that, ultimately, there are very few consequences and very little justice for many of those who drive under the influence.
According to the auditor-general of South Africa, reasons for the forensics backlog include:
- Low staff morale;
- Poor management;
- No backup power supply (often leading to the spoiling and invalidation of blood samples);
- Shortages of senior chemists. 1
While the labs may be struggling to bring drunk drivers to justice, as South African citizens, we should be doing all that we can to avoid becoming a statistic. With so many people killed as a result of driving under the influence, do we really need any more reason not to drink and drive?
Summary
There are some bumps in the road when it comes to the forensics behind drunk driving arrests, making DUI cases a massive concern for South Africa. Read on to learn more.
Sources
1 http://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/blood-alcohol-samples-sit-in-labs-too-long-1.1813405#.VZzsXBuqqko
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