RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

January 7, 2005
IDEAL CHANCE TO CUT DRINK-DRIVE LIMIT – RoSPA

After virtually no improvement in the Christmas drink-drive figures published today, RoSPA is urging the Government to use the new Road Safety Bill to cut the drink-drive limit and allow breath tests to be carried out anywhere and anytime.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said the Bill now before Parliament was the ideal opportunity to give the drink-drive laws new impact.

Kevin Clinton, RoSPA Head of Road Safety said: “The Christmas and New Year figures show no real improvement, and it should not be forgotten that 560 people were killed in drink-drive accidents in 2003 - the highest number for seven years.

“Studies have shown that cutting the drink-drive limit from 80mg to 50mg could save 50 lives and 250 serious injuries a year.

“Some people may be taking extra care at Christmas because they are afraid of being caught in extra police checks, but road safety should be an issue all year round. A cut in the limit and allowing police to breath-test drivers anywhere and at anytime would concentrate people’s minds much more on the dangers of drinking and driving throughout the year.”

Kevin Clinton said the Road Safety Bill, which is due to have its second reading next week, included evidential breath testing so that someone who failed a roadside test would no longer have to be taken to the police station.

“But that does not go far enough,” he said. “We are now one of only four countries out of 15 in the EU with a level above 50mg. At levels between 50mg and 80mg drivers are two-to-four times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than drivers with no alcohol.

“If we are to make any real progress with drinking and driving in this country, the Government has to act to cut the limit now and prevent more needless deaths on our roads.”

Figures from the Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland show that a worrying proportion of those involved in collisions over Christmas and New Year had been driving having consumed excess alcohol. ACPO said the trend had been increasing since 1999 and the current rate of 8.75 per cent – although less than last year – had for the second year running virtually reached the 1997 baseline of 9.11 per cent.