An 11-year-old girl was subjected to a breathalyser test in Ghent following a road accident, according to information confirmed by local police on Wednesday.
The police reluctantly acknowledged that it might not have been appropriate to test the child’s breath alcohol level and are now investigating the circumstances of this unusual check.
As a general rule, law enforcement immediately requires anyone involved in an accident resulting in injury to take a breathalyser test, regardless of the absence or presence of signs of intoxication.
“There is virtually no age limit. It is in everyone’s interest to clarify this. Conducting a breath test is less intrusive than a blood test,” the Ghent police explained.
However, given the very young age of the girl, the authorities admitted that in this particular case, it was probably inappropriate to carry out such a test.
The police have apologised to the child and her parents, offering them the opportunity to discuss the incident with social workers.
