New Jersey officials were poised to switch their roadside alcohol breath-testing technology from Breathalyzers to "Alcotest" devices, but the state's highest court put the brakes on the plan, the Newark Star-Ledger reported March 16.

The New Jersey Supreme Court put the change on hold until judges decide if the Alcotest 7110 is as accurate at identifying drunk drivers as the Breathalyzer was. "No further expansion of the Alcotest project should be undertaken without obtaining prior authorization from the Supreme Court," wrote Supreme Court Clerk Stephen Townsend to state officials.

Essex and Monmouth counties were among the 11 (out of 21 counties in the state) planning to adopt the Alcotest. 

The state bar association is among those calling for more testing on the device in order to protect accused drunk drivers. "What happens if six months, seven months from now, the court says this device is unreliable?" said defense attorney Jeffrey Gold. "At least the court has said: stop compounding the problem by continuing to implement it throughout the state."