Drivers face ban if they drink a pint

THE government has signalled that it plans to cut the drink driving limit to less than a pint of beer or a glass of wine.

Lord Adonis, the transport secretary, expects an official review of the law to recommend reducing the legal limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg.

He said he would take this “very seriously” and added: “A strong case has been made to have a lower limit.”

A new law on drug driving is also likely amid concern about the number of motorists driving under the influence of narcotics or prescription medicine.
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The government believes the tougher law on alcohol would prevent up to 65 deaths a year and a further 230 serious injuries in car accidents linked to drink driving.

At present the 80mg limit allows a man of average build to drink 1½-2 pints of normal-strength beer or three small glasses of wine and remain within the law.

With a 50mg limit, the average man would be limited to just under a pint of beer or a large glass of wine and women to half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine.

The change could force some country pubs to close.

Sir Peter North, author of the review into the laws on drink and drug driving, is said to have been impressed by research at University College London into reducing casualties. It is claimed that the change would save the economy £120m a year by reducing medical costs and lost working time.

North is considering recommending an even lower limit of 20mg for novice motorists and HGV drivers.

Penalties for breaching the drink drive rules are, however, likely to be watered down. At present anyone caught driving while over the limit faces a minimum ban of 12 months.

Most countries with lower limits fine drivers and give them penalty points for minor breaches. North is considering recommending shorter bans for breaches of between 50mg and 79mg.

The drink-drive changes — which would not require new legislation — would bring Britain into line with almost all other European countries, which have a limit of either 50mg or 20mg. Ireland is planning to introduce legislation that will come into force next year.

Labour cannot implement the new rules until after a 12-week consultation, meaning that the change will not take place before the election.

Theresa Villiers, the shadow transport secretary, said she was “not convinced that a change would be justified” on drink driving.

But she was “particularly interested” in North’s expected proposals to combat driving under the influence of drugs. These could include the use of new “drugaliser” roadside testing kits as a screening tool by police, to be followed by blood tests to assess precise levels of drugs.

The expected new rules would make it illegal to drive under the influence of prescribed drugs or in excess of a specified drug limit. The present law penalises only drivers whose performance is impaired by illegal drugs.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Adonis would not pre-empt North’s findings, but said: “I would be very surprised if [he] didn’t make recommendations for change, within the area of drink and drug driving.

“He’ll be reporting soon and if he makes recommendations for tightening up the law in either or both cases I’ll be taking that very seriously.”

- Indian Jouranlsit.