British influencer Klaudia Zakrzewska, 32, lost her life six days after being hit by a vehicle while leaving a nightclub. The driver, singer Gabrielle Carrington, winner of the X Factor program, is charged with murder. According to Chief Inspector Alison Foxwell, Carrington's alcohol level was nearly double the legal limit at the time of the accident. Two other people were injured, one seriously.
The car as a weapon: a failure in alcohol control systems 🚗
This incident reopens the debate on integrating lockout technologies in current vehicles. Alcolock systems, mandatory in certain countries for repeat offenders, require the driver to blow into a device before starting. However, their implementation is not universal. In Carrington's car, a high-end model, the alcohol level was not detected. The automotive industry could accelerate the adoption of breath sensors in the cabin, capable of immobilizing the engine if legal limits are exceeded.
X Factor singer: from musical notes to alcohol notes 🎤
Gabrielle Carrington went from moving the judges with her voice to astonishing officers with her alcohol level. It seems the only note she cared about was the breathalyzer one. If the program demanded pitch, on the road she lacked precision to avoid three people. Next time, perhaps she should limit her concerts to karaokes with taxi service included.