From 8:00 to 9:00 this Thursday December 22, the national police was in full prevention operation on the Barachois in Saint-Denis. They have left many breathalyzers to the motorists they meet, hoping they will put them to good use during the upcoming holiday season.
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Seeing the uniforms this Thursday morning in the car park of the old Barachois swimming pool, these motorists thought they had to check it out. No: it was an awareness-raising operation carried out by the State Police at the beginning of the end-of-year celebrations.
Watch the report from Réunion La 1ère:
Anyone who has had a few drinks during the holidays is advised to do a breathalyzer before getting back behind the wheel. The National Police carried out a preventive action this Thursday on the Barachois
Because, as the police reminded us, once again, the driver is the one who doesn’t drink. In order for everyone to respect this golden rule, the Road Police Units have distributed various breathalyzers to road users, not only for them to use, but also for them to distribute, on holidays, to relatives who have consumed alcohol.
“Alcohol impairs the driver’s lucidity, causes speed. (…) We have to anticipate: appoint a SAM, or stay in place, organize someone to pick us up, to avoid a tragedy“, insists Parvine Lacombe, the prefect’s chief of staff, present this morning.
“We distribute handfuls of four or five breathalyzers because our goal is not only to raise awareness among the motorist, but also those around him. The police are not the only ones to get the message across, the population must help them”
Olivier Martinez, police commissioner and head of the territorial public security service
“It is very important, it is necessary“, reacts a motorist who explains to him not to drink, but aims to raise awareness among his relatives by giving them the breathalyzers received today”.The initiative is very beautiful“, recognizes another motorist. “Maybe it should be done more often, we have too many alcohol-related deaths, people don’t realize the effects of alcohol. Even if I don’t drink, I will distribute them“says another driver.
But those who don’t drink still have a role to play in this period: to detain those who have drunk too much, or in any case prevent them from driving.
“This morning we are not here to verbalize the population, but to make them aware that alcohol is an aggravating factor on the road.“, reassures police commissioner Olivier Martinez.
It should be noted that during this festive period other operations will be organized on the island, to raise awareness on the one hand, in a preventive and educational key, but also to control to sanction dangerous behavior. “We will do more next week with the gendarmerie, on the beaches, in the markets“, explains Parvine Lacombe, head of the prefect’s cabinet.
We recall that the consumption of alcohol while driving is responsible for 38% of the accidents recorded in Reunion and, even more serious, for 23 deaths on our roads this year 2022 alone. This is more than half of the 43 deaths recorded this year. year.
Magalie Cesbron, departmental secretary of the League Against Road Violence, was the guest of the 12:30 meeting La 1ère this Thursday 22 December:
Magalie Cesbron, departmental secretary of the League Against Street Violence, invited to the set of Réunion La 1ère
