The criteria for the administrative penalties of blood alcohol contents has been adjusted from 0.25 mg/L to 0.15 mg/L of exhaling air since June 13, 2013 in Taiwan. To reduce the argument between the drivers and law enforcement officers during the blood alcohol contents tests, highly accurate instruments and precise measurements will be needed. Therefore, as the authority in charge of the verification on breath alcohol testers and analyzers, the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), based on the domestic capacity of verification and OIML R 126:2012, has released a new edition of the technical specification for verification and inspection of breath alcohol testers and analyzers that will be implemented from January 1, 2015.
The main modifications of the new edition of technical specification are focused on several points as follows: 1. Removing the restriction of using different types and principles of testing elements. 2. Requiring the testing report of ambient temperature effect of breath alcohol analyzers. 3. The test of physiological influence quantities and residual memory will be needed during initial verification and re-verification. 4. The test on 0.150 mg/L concentration wet alcohol gases is required. 5. Harmonizing technical specification with the OIML R 126:2012. 6. To those instruments already have been verified before January 1 2015, the re-verification could be performed with superseded version of technical specification until Dec. 31 2017.
All the verified breath alcohol testers and analyzers will be issued a certificate and bear a verification mark "
" (tong) on the body respectively. The BSMI urges the law enforcement officers to make sure the mark " "(tong) affixed to the instrument during the test on drivers to prevent from disputes.
Agency in charge: Metrology Administration Department (4th Division)
Contact person: Mr. Chang, Yueh-Feng
Telephone: (02)23963360-762