The National Road Safety Authority (ANSR) is "evaluating" a system that automatically detects the level of alcohol in the blood of drivers and, in the event of an infringement, prevents the vehicle from starting.

According to Jornal de Notícias (JN), this system, called "alcohol-lock" already exists in several European countries and there is even a European directive that requires that new vehicles have a pre-installation of an alcohol test.

However, writes the newspaper, Portugal has not yet applied this system.

Speaking to JN, the president of ANSR, Rui Ribeiro, describes the "alcohol-lock" as a system "very similar to the common breathalyser test. The only difference is that this instrument is connected to the vehicle's electronics and allows it to start or not."

But this system "is not for all cars", says the executive director of the European Transport Safety Council, António Avenoso, quoted by the same newspaper. "We want the instrument to be used by repeat offenders or those caught for the first time with a high alcohol level."