RSA breathalyser terminals in pubs criticised by bereaved mother

A woman whose son died in a drink‑driving crash has called the RSA’s plan to install breathalyser terminals in hotels, pubs and sports venues a “slap in the face” for grieving families.

The Road Safety Authority intends to spend €1.5 million to place 20 terminals across the country, allowing drivers to check their legal limit before getting behind the wheel. The scheme follows research showing many pub‑goers were unaware they were over the limit before a breath test and had intended to drive home.

On The Claire Byrne Show, Christina Donnelly, whose son Brendan was killed in a 2009 crash, said the money could be better used for other road‑safety measures that prevent deaths and serious injuries. She reiterated the RSA’s “zero tolerance” stance and urged the use of allocated drivers, taxis or other transport when alcohol has been consumed.

Donnelly described the terminals as a “slap in the face” for the work of road‑safety campaigners and stressed that not drinking before driving is a “small ask” given the potential for catastrophic outcomes. She noted that 148 people have died on Ireland’s roads so far this year, ten more than the same period in 2025.

Source: Newstalk. Photo: Łukasz Promiler / Pexels.