Campaigners are to step up their bid for a lower alcohol limit for motorists after tighter drink-driving legislation was announced in Ireland.
From the end of this year, the Irish level of 80mg alcohol per 100ml blood will be cut to 50mg, with a lower limit of 20mg for learner drivers and people who drive for work.
The move leaves Britain and Malta as the last two European countries with drink-drive limits of 80mg, saiys Brake, the road safety charity.
The new rules in Ireland could see a driver over the limit after just one pint of beer while the lower limit is effectively a ban on any alcoholic drink.
'Once Ireland's new drink-drive limit comes into effect, all other European countries will have limits of 50mg or lower and in the wake of this announcement, Brake calls on the UK Government to follow the example of our Irish neighbours by lowering the drink-drive limit and stepping up enforcement of the law," said a Brake spokesman..
'During November, our Road Safety Week will highlight the risks of drink and drug driving to challenge the behaviour of drivers who think it is acceptable and put a stop to the carnage they cause on our roads.'
According to Brake, research shows drivers are two to 2.5 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash between 50mg and 80mg and that driving is impaired by even a very small amount of alcohol in the blood stream.
'Last year, 430 people were killed by drink-drivers, an increase of 20 fatalities compared to 2007. In addition, 1630 were seriously injured and 10,970 suffered lesser injuries from crashes involving drivers over the 80mg limit," added the spokesman.
'Experts have estimated that reducing the drink-drive limit in Britain to 50mg/100ml blood could save about 65 lives and 230 serious injuries per year but the Government is still dragging its heels on cutting the UK limit.'
Source: Maurice Glover - www.ayrshirepost.net
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