Accident breathalyzer check?

stapeler

Hi.
Wife involved in accident at weekend. Pulling out at junction in town and hit by a car. Other party was totally obnoxious and intimidating, shouting etc. Garda arrived and took details but didn't do a breathalyzer check on either party. Is it not the law that a breathalyzer check is done at all accidents?

Phototoxin

Probably is the Gardais descretion although that said if they can randomly stop at checkpoints then I'm sure they could if they were arsed.

Berty

They do not all carry the breathalysers so unless the Garda figures they were drinking they wont call for the unit.

Obnoxious people do not all need alcohol to be abnoxious.

Steve

I would have thought that if the guard was suspicious (smelled alcohol) then he would have breathalysed (or taken them to the station if he didn't have the equipment).

It's equally possible that the person had taken some other narcotic, some in particular tend to make people obnoxious and aggressive, I don't know how the guards deal with or test for that though.

stapeler

Cheers, I guess just the shock of an accident could be enough to make a person react like that. I cannot understand however why it's not an automatic breath test at the scene of an accident.

MagicMarker

If an idiot pulled out in front of me I'd probably be a bit of an arsehole too.

Steve

MagicMarker wrote: »

If an idiot pulled out in front of me I'd probably be a bit of an arsehole too.

Why? what would that achieve?

OK, some people need to vent but the scene of an accident is not really the place for it regardless of whose fault it was.

villager

as far as i am aware the aim would be that every one involved in a road traffic accident would be breathalysed but it is not law yet. there is no breathalyser to detect drugs etc a blood test would have to be takne for this

stapeler

MagicMarker wrote: »

If an idiot pulled out in front of me I'd probably be a bit of an arsehole too.

I wouldn't consider my wife an idiot. Accident free for 14yrs, She was edging out at a junction on a busy street, car comes flying around sending her spinning and popping his airbags in the process.

unkel

MagicMarker wrote: »

If an idiot pulled out in front of me

Steady on, MagicMarker. Accidents happen.

Accidents happen alright but there is usually someone at fault otherwise it wouldnt happen.

At least no-one was badly injured or worse

timmywex

Most garda units dont carry breathalyiser equipment, so unless the person smells strongly of alcohol, or cant walk in straight lines basically, then they wont be arrested or brought to the station

bryanmurr

unkel wrote: »

Steady on, MagicMarker. Accidents happen.

rarnes1 wrote: »

Accidents happen alright but there is usually someone at fault otherwise it wouldnt happen.

At least no-one was badly injured or worse

Collisions happen, accidents are caused.

T-Square

stapeler wrote: »

Hi.
Wife involved in accident at weekend. Pulling out at junction in town and hit by a car. Other party was totally obnoxious and intimidating, shouting etc. Garda arrived and took details but didn't do a breathalyzer check on either party. Is it not the law that a breathalyzer check is done at all accidents?

I'm sorry, maybe I'm missing the point here.

Your wife pulled out and collided with a car that had the right of way,
did you want your wife breathalyzed?

mikemac

Yes, my reading is the OP wanted his wife and the other driver both checked and wants to know why this didn't happen

stapeler

T-Square wrote: »

I'm sorry, maybe I'm missing the point here.

Your wife pulled out and collided with a car that had the right of way,
did you want your wife breathalyzed?

Doesn't bother me either way if she was breathalyzed or not, I just thought there was a law being introduced a couple of years ago that insisted that all involved in an accident were checked. Obviously it was never introduced.

As reguards being hit by a car that had the right of way, I accept that she is at fault.