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Ministers back off from lowering drink limit
David Williams, Motoring Editor6 Oct 2008
Britain is set to become the only European country allowing motorists to drink alcohol and still be able to drive legally, after a change of heart by ministers.
They had planned to lower the drink-drive limit from 80 to 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood but now indicate that this will not happen.
Safety groups say the existing limit encourages people to "chance it" and have a drink or two before driving but a 50mg limit would make drivers far more careful, as they would risk prosecution after just one drink.
In mainland Europe, the limit is either 50mg or 20mg. The Republic of Ireland is to reduce the limit to 50mg next year.
The Association of Chief Police Officers, British Medical Association and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents have called for a 50mg limit.
Research by University College London predicted that lowering the limit for all drivers to 50mg would prevent 65 deaths and 230 injuries a year in Britain. It would also save the economy £119 million a year by reducing medical costs and lost working time.
Last year Stephen Ladyman, then road safety minister, said the Government was in favour of moving to a 50mg limit and would include the proposal in a public consultation. But his successor, Jim Fitzpatrick, said a consultation document, to be published within weeks, will not propose a lower limit.
He said: "We are not convinced (it) is the right answer. Drivers who are between 50mg and 80mg are not the ones we are most worried about. It's the ones above 100 mg."
Mr Fitzpatrick said the consultation would focus on better enforcement of the existing limit. Police could gain new powers to stop and test drivers at random.
Reader views (5)
Young sober drivers under 21 cause far more fatal accidents yet this government is going for soft targets yet again rather than addressing the root cause. Of course drink driving is silly and dangerous and most be legislated against but the stats confirm that it is not the cause of the majority of fatal accidents...
- David Haigh, London, 07/10/2008 05:12
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None of you mention the bigger pest, using Mobile Phone's while driving .... or is that you?
- Vince London, West London, 07/10/2008 01:27
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Of course they backed down, how on earth are they expected to get away with having 3 pints in the (subsidised) commons bar and then driving home to their constituency (whilst claiming for their London flat which they've rented out) if the limit is so low?
- Bob, Cheam, 06/10/2008 20:00
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There's no difference in my eyes to drink driving and drug driving, yet this stupid governments is so soft on drugs they might as well legalise all categories of drugs. I'd have zero tolerance all round, sadly I'm not the PM!
- Sue, Orpington, 06/10/2008 15:00
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What pathetic whimps our government are!!!!! they backed down on drink driving????? well of course they would as they make a fortune in tax so a usual money before the safety of the public ....now why am I not surprised
- Sarah, London, 06/10/2008 12:24
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