Nitrous oxide detection whilst driving: Cannes leads the way with new device
Cannes municipal police are testing an unprecedented nitrous oxide detector for drivers. Two positive results recorded since the launch of checks.
Cannes experiments with France's first roadside nitrous oxide screening
Cannes municipal police, in the Alpes-Maritimes, now have a nitrous oxide detection device for drivers, according to France Info. About the size of a breathalyser, this unprecedented tool makes the town the first French municipality to deploy such a device on public roads.
According to Yves Daros, director of Cannes municipal police, officers carry out between 15 and 20 checks per night since the device was put into service. Two drivers have tested positive since operations began. "Since we've had this device, it's roughly between 15 and 20 checks per night. And as for people who tested positive, there have been two, to be precise," he said.
The device is, however, still at an experimental stage and has not received official approval. Fines are currently based on a municipal order, in the absence of an appropriate national legal framework for this type of screening.
Cannes town hall praised the initiative on social media, celebrating being a pioneer in the matter. On the ground, residents questioned by France Télévisions welcomed this measure favourably. "We need to stop treating this as just a prevention matter. We need to act to prevent fatal accidents," said one local resident.
Nitrous oxide, a gas found particularly in canisters of whipped cream used in cooking, produces an euphoric effect when inhaled. Its consumption can lead to serious health consequences for users, and represents a proven danger on the roads. In France, a law provides for the general prohibition of its sale to private individuals from 2027.
Source: France Info