October 27: Drink driving and over speeding, the leading causes of accidents in Bhutan, could soon become a thing of the past. The Road Safety and Transport Authority is now equipped with speed guns to determine the speed of moving vehicles and breath analyzers to check if motorists are driving under the influence of alcohol.

The stationary held radar known as speed gun can detect the speed of the vehicle.

Road Safety and Transport authority officials say they will soon use the instruments. With this drivers can no longer drive in full speed. The maximum speed limit while driving on the highways is 50 kilometers per hour. Anybody trying to exceed the speed limit will end up paying Nu. 500 as fine.

Breath analyzer is an instrument that can detect whether the driver is under the influence of alcohol. Those caught driving under the influence of alcohol will be fined Nu. 1250.

RSTA officials say use of these instruments will help promote safe driving and reduce road accidents. RSTA has bought 18 breath analyzers and eight speed guns.

The speed gun costs about Nu. 89,000 and the breathe analyzer costs Nu. 64,000.

The RSTA has distributed the breathe analyzer to 16 base offices and speed guns to the Royal Bhutan Police.