Saliva Testing to Be Introduced in Driver Screenings
The Russian State Traffic Safety Inspectorate (GIBDD) is updating its procedures for testing drivers for intoxication. A new rapid screening test will be introduced, which, if positive, will only serve as a basis for a more comprehensive examination. In addition to the usual reasons for breathalyzer testing—such as the smell of alcohol, unsteady gait, slurred speech, and inappropriate behavior—there will now be another: the results of a device indicating the presence of alcohol or drugs.
For the first time in Russian practice, inspectors will use a device that analyzes saliva for the presence of narcotic substances (though a urine sample will still be required for confirmation). The State Traffic Inspectorate hopes this will “help protect the rights and legal interests of road users and reduce conflict situations.” However, experts warn of potential corruption risks.
How the New Testing Procedure Will Work
The GIBDD has prepared a draft of a new version of government decree No. 475, which outlines the rules for testing drivers for intoxication. Currently, there are five grounds for testing: the smell of alcohol, unsteady posture, speech impairment, facial redness, and behavior that does not match the situation. The GIBDD proposes adding a sixth: “readings from devices indicating the presence of alcohol or narcotic substances.”
Initially, the inspector will ask the driver to blow into a device (using a disposable mouthpiece), which can be done through the car window without exiting the vehicle. This device will likely have a simple indicator light and the test will take one to two minutes. This is not considered a formal examination: no witnesses, video recording, or paperwork is required, and the driver can refuse without legal consequences. If no alcohol is detected and there are no other signs of intoxication, the driver is free to go. If the device detects alcohol vapor, the inspector will then conduct a full examination, which includes witnesses (or video recording), a breathalyzer that measures ethanol in exhaled air (with a legal limit of 0.16 mg per liter), a printed result, and so on. If necessary, the driver will be sent for a medical examination, and refusal to comply can result in a fine of 30,000 rubles and loss of driving privileges.
For drug testing, the driver will be asked to provide a saliva sample for a rapid test, likely a cassette test that detects several common drugs (opiates, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, etc.). This will only serve as a basis for referring the driver for a full medical examination with a urine test.
Goals and Concerns
According to the explanatory note, “The use of these devices will minimize the subjective judgment of police officers in assessing drivers’ conditions, help protect the rights and legal interests of road users, reduce the number of conflicts, and eliminate unnecessary examinations.” The State Traffic Inspectorate expects that the new devices will allow more drivers to be screened, not only during special operations but also during routine traffic monitoring.
The GIBDD first proposed updating the testing rules in 2015, but the document caused public outcry and was never adopted. At that time, the Ministry of Internal Affairs proposed purchasing 24,000 rapid alcohol tests at 7,000 rubles each. This time, the plan is to buy 9.3 million alcohol tests and 4 million drug rapid tests, as outlined in the national project “Safe and High-Quality Roads.” The total cost is still unknown, but the first batch is expected to be purchased by the end of 2019.
Expert Opinions
Vyacheslav Lysakov, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on State Building, commented, “Undoubtedly, this will play a preventive role.” Sergey Radko, a lawyer from the “Freedom of Choice” movement, noted that simple indicator devices could speed up the process, but warned of risks: “There is great potential for abuse, as it’s easy to fake a positive result, which could be used for extortion—a skill some police officers have unfortunately mastered.” He also pointed out the lack of clarity about when and on what grounds a driver would be required to take these rapid tests: “It seems that an officer could demand a test at will, without any paperwork, which increases the risk of bribery.”
Narcologist Alexander Kovtun explained that traces of some drugs (like marijuana) remain in urine or blood longer than in saliva, which could lead to more lenient rules. However, rapid tests can only detect five or six types of drugs, while there are hundreds: “There is a mobile device that can detect a wide range of drugs, but it costs about 200,000 rubles and only medical professionals can use it.” Narcologist Erken Imanbayev added that some modern synthetic drugs cannot be detected even in chemical labs, let alone with rapid tests. Vladimir Mendelevich, head of the Department of Medical Psychology at Kazan State Medical University, suggested, “Before making decisions, I would discuss this with the scientific community and public organizations, and present the characteristics of the new devices so people wouldn’t worry about the new checks.”