RSA data from breathalyser kiosks shows almost half of people underestimate alcohol levels

A NEW SURVEY from the RSA using breathalyser kiosks has revealed that close to half of the people who tested their alcohol levels mistakenly believed they were under the legal limit.

The findings come from an RSA pilot programme which ran from August 2024 to February 2025.

It saw Flinebox breathalyser kiosks placed in hotels, bars, and event venues across Mayo, Galway, Cork, Limerick, Laois, and Westmeath.

The RSA first introduced the technology at Electric Picnic and later at the National Ploughing Championships, and there will be further deployments at major events later this year.

The breathalyser kiosks use alcohol sensor technology to provide an accurate alcohol reading within 10 seconds.

Users blow into a straw and the screen displays their result, indicating whether they are under or over the limit.

Test your alcohol levels in seconds with the Fline Box breathalyser.
👉 Blow into the straw and see if you're under the legal limit or how long you’ll need to wait before you can drive.
Make smarter decisions. Drive safe.#RoadSafety pic.twitter.com/2NbDHEPUh7

— RSA Ireland (@RSAIreland) December 19, 2024

If over the limit, the system estimates how long it will take before it’s safe to drive.

During the six-month pilot, over 24,000 breathalyser tests and surveys were conducted.

Some 45% of people who tested over the legal alcohol limit mistakenly believed they were fit to drive.

And of these who mistakenly believed they were under the limit, 77% had said they were going to drive.

Meanwhile, 64% of those who exceeded the blood alcohol legal limit of 0.50 g/l had said they were going to drive.

For a learner or novice driver with less than two years of driving experience, the legal limit is 0.20 g/l.

The RSA also found that young men aged between 18 and 34 were most likely to underestimate their alcohol levels and say they were going to drive.

The initiative aimed to give people real-time feedback on their alcohol levels and to make informed decisions before getting behind the wheel.

Sarah O’Connor, Director of Partnerships and External Affairs at the RSA, noted that the survey reveals that “many people wrongly assume they’re under the limit when they’re not – putting themselves and others at serious risk”.

She urged motorists not to “rely on guesswork when it comes to alcohol and driving” and that the breathalyser kiosks help drivers get a “clear, scientific measure of their alcohol levels”.

“The pilot made it clear that people struggled to understand their own level of impairment,” said O’Connor, “but the real message is simple: if you have a drink, don’t drive.”

“This data is a stark reminder that our perception of how alcohol affects us is often flawed,” she added.

Damien McManus, General Manager of Loughrea Hotel and Spa, said the breathalyser kiosk has been “incredibly well received” at the hotel.

He said that guests have remarked that it has helped them to make “informed and responsible decisions about driving”.

Elsewhere, Mary Walsh, Reservations Manager of the Broadhaven Bay Hotel, said the kiosk has been “particularly helpful and popular among guests on nights of and the morning after events such as weddings”.

“It’s a fantastic initiative which hopefully other hotels will consider for their own premises as a resource for guests,” she added.