Police warning after drink driver 'shoves coins in mouth' to evade breathalyser

Police have issued a warning after a driver attempted to evade a breathalyser test by 'shoving' coins into his mouth.

The driver was pulled over on Saturday night (August 27) in Bolton after he was caught driving through a red light in front a police car that had been patrolling in the local area.

After being questioned by authorities, he was ordered to give a breath sample, but before taking the test, he proceeded to 'shove a load of coins' into his mouth.

The theory, which has been circulating online, is that sucking on a copper coin can trick a breathalyser by interfering with someone's mouth saliva composition.

However, the driver blew a reading of 65, over double the legal limit in England, proving the tip was clearly unsuccessful.

In light of the incident, Greater Manchester Police Traffic they issued the warning to other road users as they shared an image of the Golf he was driving to their social media pages.

They wrote: "From last night. The driver of this Golf went through a red light in front of our patrol and was stopped on Spa Rd, Bolton.

"Before being breathalysed, he shoved a load of coins in his mouth. Guess what, didn’t work and he blew 65. Don’t believe all you read on the internet guys."

From last night: The driver of this Golf went through a red light in front of our patrol & was stopped on Spa Rd, Bolton. Before being breathalysed, he shoved a load of coins in his mouth. Guess what, didn’t work & he blew 65. Don’t believe all you read on the internet guys. pic.twitter.com/ghYExbIfRA

— GMP Traffic (@gmptraffic) August 28, 2022

LADbible has contacted GMP for comment.

Last year, we reported how a man in Northern Ireland recorded one of the highest drunk driver readings in UK history.

During the early hours of 28 March, 2021, police spotted the car 'weaving like a snake' on Tobermore Road, Magherafelt, Londonderry.

When officers breathalysed the driver, the device was unable to take a reading because his blood alcohol concentration was too high.

Back in the station he eventually blew 180 - more than five times the legal limit.

The post read: "A real sense of anger here tonight, we have just recorded one of the highest ever drunk driver readings in Northern Ireland and indeed the UK.

"The breathalyser couldn't register a reading when he was tested in the car because it was so high (they have a limit of 220) and when tested in custody after being taken to the station and booked in, he blew 180 on the evidential machine. The limit is 35.

"Crews caught this wannabee killer on the Tobermore Road weaving like a snake, he ended up in an innocent person's garden.

"It's a miracle that we don't have officers calling at someone's house tonight, to deliver a death message to a family of a loved one who has been mowed down and killed. Not that the drunk at the wheel of this car seemed to care in the slightest, he was so out of it he'd no concept of what was going on."

The post continued: "Meanwhile his passenger could barely contain herself as she roared with laughter like it was all some big joke and wanted to know how she was going to get home.

"An altogether pathetic display from the both of them. 'One hundred and eiiiighttyyyy' might sound great at the darts, not going to be so funny when it's being read out to the Judge. Wise up."