First approved in March of 2011, the hand-held breathalyzer law officially went into effect on July 1. Although the law does not require drivers to check their blood alcohol content before starting or driving a vehicle, French officials hope the carry mandate will encourage drivers to make sure they aren't too intoxicated to drive.
However, the new regulation could influence lawmakers in the United States. The House and Senate recently approved funding for the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, which is seeking a way to make alcohol detection systems standard in new vehicles.
About 30 percent of France's road deaths are alcohol related, matching the rate of the United States.
