Udine, the State Police engaged in checks on alcohol and drugs while driving
The State Police of Udine has implemented a complex program of road checks aimed at repressing two of the most dangerous behaviors for road safety that can be adopted by road users: driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Udine, the State Police engaged in checks on alcohol and drugs while driving
The State Police of Udine, through the personnel of the Udine Highway Police Section, with the collaboration of the Autostrade per l'Italia Company, on 7 and 8 November, has implemented a complex program of road controls aimed at repressing two of the most dangerous behaviors for road safety that can be adopted by road users: driving under the influence of alcohol and, in particular, driving under the influence of narcotic, psychotropic and psychoactive substances.
On November 7, at the Ledra Est Service Area on the A23, a small analysis laboratory was set up, a real forensic laboratory, capable of analyzing the biological fluids of the drivers checked and establishing with scientific precision whether they contained psycho-active, psychotropic or narcotic substances. The operational focus of the Traffic Police in this case fell on professional drivers of trucks and buses.
After being checked with breathalyzers, the drivers were subjected to saliva sampling, the sample of which was analyzed both using precursor instruments and using a high-diagnostic instrument that uses the LC-Massa technique, which is a 2nd level laboratory test.
In case of positive results, drivers are also subjected to a medical examination to establish the behavioral alteration as a reflection of the intake of narcotic substances.
Encouraging results emerged. Of the 36 drivers checked, none of them were found to be impaired by the use of narcotic substances.
On Friday 8 November, however, the extraordinary traffic police control service took place at the Udine Nord toll booth, in the evening/night hours, and involved all drivers, not just professional ones.
46 drivers were subjected to breathalyzer tests and preliminary screening for the search for psychoactive substances; of these: no. 1 tested positive to the breathalyzer test with blood alcohol levels above the limits; no. 2 drivers tested positive to the preliminary screening for the search for narcotic substances (cocaine and cannabinoids) and, after having ascertained the impaired driving, they were reported to the Judicial Authority.
On both days, 3 patrols of the Highway Police, medical personnel and laboratory technicians were involved.
Among the operating results achieved:
nr. 3 driving licences withdrawn;
nr. 1 registration document withdrawn;
nr. 35 driving licence points deducted;
nr. 1 vehicle seized;
nr. 6 administrative infringements contested.
This complex system of controls allows us to investigate a phenomenon that the Police are encountering more and more frequently. The technical complexity of these tests can only be overcome with a highly specialized team control. The use of the biological matrix of saliva is particularly important. Saliva is considered an ultrafiltrate of the blood and retains the presence of the drug for about five hours, thus offering certainty on the actuality of the psychoactive effect of the substance while driving.
The screening allows to ascertain as many as 5 active principles: opiates, cannabinoids, cocaine, amphetamines and benzodiazepines.
The commitment of the Highway Police is to make the controls of such high technical content perceived by road users and especially by those who use it professionally because they are potentially capable of compromising road safety even more. To guarantee these objectives, the controls will continue on other days of the year also along ordinary roads.
The Chief Commissioner of the State Police, Dr. Stefania Gangemi, the new Director of the Udine Traffic Police Section, explains the entire device that she personally coordinated. who, since last November 2nd, has taken on the prestigious command role in the historic headquarters in Viale Venezia.
35 year old Sicilian, born in Messina on December 19, 1988.
Graduated in Law at the University of Messina in October 2014, she obtained the Diploma of the Specialization School for Legal Professions at the University of Pavia in October 2016 and the qualification to practice law in September 2017.
He entered the role of the State Police as an agent in June 2018 by attending the Student Agents School in Trieste.
In 2019 she was assigned to the Motorway Subsection of the Modena Nord Traffic Police where she remained until 2021.
In July 2021, she transferred to the Reggio Calabria Police Headquarters and served at the General Prevention and Public Aid Office until April 2022 when she began the 111th Training Course for State Police Commissioners at the Higher Police School in Rome, after which she chose the Friuli Venezia Giulia Highway Police Department in Trieste as her final destination for the course, where she held the position of Officer in charge - Director of Office II from July 2023 to August 2024, where she also took on the role of Director of Office I, maintaining the direction of both Offices of the Department until October 2024.
Since November 2nd he has taken up the role of Director of the Udine Traffic Police Section.
To the new Director, greetings and welcome from the Police Chief of the Province of Udine Domenico Farinacci on behalf of all the State Police of the Friulian territory with the wish for good work that, it seems, has immediately brought the first important results.
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