The UK’s drink-drive limit is no longer adequate and should be reduced in England and Wales. That’s according to a new report by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS).
Lowering the drink-drive limit is just one recommendation in the report, titled Drink Driving: Taking Stock, Moving Forward. PACTS is calling for a ‘broader approach’, encompassing improved enforcement, education, health measures and alternative transport provision.
Drink-driving is one of the biggest causes of road casualties, accounting for 13 percent of deaths. In the past decade, 240 people have died every year on the roads when the driver was found to be over the drink-drive limit. Seventeen percent of drink-drive offences are committed by a repeat offender.
The coronavirus pandemic has seen an increase in the number of people with alcohol and mental health issues. This, combined with a fall in the number of people using transport and an increase in road traffic, ‘may lead to increased drink-driving’. PACTS points to a rise in the number of drink-drive deaths in the USA as a reason for the government to monitor the situation in the UK.
It is making the following recommendations:
- The introduction of mandatory breath testing powers for the police.
- The reduction in enforcement levels to be reversed. Police enforcement has decreased by 63 percent since 2009.
- Increased penalties for drivers who combine drink and drugs.
- Specialist rehabilitation courses for drivers with mental health and alcohol problems.
- A lower drink-drive limit in England and Wales.
- Reforming the High Risk Offender Scheme.
- The government to pay more attention to drink-driving in alcohol harm and night-time economy policies.
There are strict alcohol limits for drivers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with even stricter limits in Scotland:
- Micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath: England, Wales and Northern Ireland (35), Scotland (22)
- Milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood: England, Wales and Northern Ireland (80), Scotland (50)
- Milligrammes per 100 millilitres of urine: England, Wales and Northern Ireland (107), Scotland (67)
Lower drink-drive limit ‘not a magic bullet’
David Davies, executive director of PACTS, said: “After 10 years of declining levels of enforcement and social media campaigns aimed at young men, it is time for a new, more comprehensive approach to reducing the toll of drink-drive deaths and injuries.
“Drink-driving is often cited as a road safety success story, yet it remains a major killer and progress has ground to a halt since 2010. Not only is better enforcement important, but also the problems of mental health and alcohol dependency need to be recognised.
“The problem is not a simple one of law enforcement. It requires a more comprehensive approach. The legal limit should be reduced in England and Wales, police should be given additional powers to test drivers, the High Risk Offender Scheme should be reformed, rehabilitation courses should be designed for those with mental health and alcohol problems, and the growing danger of combining drink and drugs driving needs to be addressed.
“Scotland introduced a reduced drink drive limit in 2014, in line with most other countries in Europe. It has been accepted by the public; it has not significantly impacted pubs and restaurants or overloaded the police or the courts. Northern Ireland plans to go further, with a zero limit for novice and professional drivers.
A lower limit is not a magic bullet, but government polices to reduce drink driving will lack credibility as long as they avoid this change.”
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