Bale: As part of the fight against road insecurity, a team from the National Road Safety Office conducted a surprise breathalyzer test operation on drivers of vehicles and mopeds on National Route 1 in Boromo on the night of Saturday, January 17, 2026. For this first operation of its kind in Boromo, 24 drivers were given alcohol tests with 4 positive cases with high levels.
According to Burkina Information Agency, for two hours, the teams patrolled the main roads to check compliance with basic driving rules, focusing primarily on the use of protective helmets and driving under the influence of alcohol. It was in this context that citizens driving were asked to undergo breathalyzer tests. The operation resulted in 24 people being tested, including 4 positive cases with blood alcohol levels far exceeding the legal limit. Additionally, 9 motorcyclists were stopped for not wearing helmets.
Among the four positive cases, there are heavy goods vehicle drivers with a blood alcohol level four times higher than the tolerated standard, which is 0.2 g/l of blood for professional drivers and driving instructors and 0.5 g/l of blood for other categories of drivers. This observation clearly reveals that drunk driving is a reality on the RN1. This uncivil behavior could well be one of the unsuspected causes of risky behavior by drivers when passing through the city and of the many accidents recently denounced by the local population.
According to the head of mission, Chief Warrant Officer Nebi© Wahapan, this outing is an opportunity to raise awareness in order to promote good practices in road safety but especially to recall the legal provisions in force including article 3 of decree n°2017-0826 of September 19, 2017, the blood alcohol thresholds authorized in Burkina Faso. ONASER keeps a close eye on road safety on the RN1. Regularly, surveillance missions, seatbelt checks and speed limit enforcement in built-up areas are positioned inside and at the exit of the city.
This deterrent presence, according to local residents, has contributed to a significant decrease in the number of accidents in the town of Boromo in recent weeks. As a reminder, this unannounced awareness campaign was conducted in collaboration with the Boromo Central Police Station.
According to the Central Police Commissioner, Ludovic Dombou©, the main objective of this operation was to prevent road tragedies. He stated that while it's often said that the road kills, in reality, it's driver irresponsibility and disregard for traffic laws that cause accidents, thus calling for collective awareness. This initiative by the national police and ONASER is part of a dynamic to protect human lives and promote civic behavior on the roads in the province of Bal©.