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UK drivers call for reduction in drink-drive limit

21/04/2008

UK drivers have called for a reduction in the drink-drive limit, from 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood to 50.

In a new survey published by the AA today, 66 per cent of those questioned called for a lowering of the limit to a figure more in line with the rest of Europe.

Thirty per cent of drivers went as far as to call for a zero limit regarding drinking and driving.

According to the poll of 17,500 drivers, more women than men were in favour of a reduction in the legal limit of alcohol consumption.

AA president Edmund King however claimed that simply reducing the limit would not drastically reduce the number of accidents associated with drink driving.

The AA claim that the majority of people killed in drink-drive crashes are drastically over the limit rather than being in and around the legal level.

"It's not the entire answer to the problem of drink-driving. Many people are way over the limit and if we just lowered it, it would be no help at all in preventing those who are so far over," said Mr King.

"There is probably a hardcore who have a drink problem rather than a drive problem."

Mr King did back the call for a lower limit though, claiming it would "send out a clear message" about the dangers of drink-driving.

"A move to a lower limit would send out a clear message about the dangers of drink driving and put us in line with most European countries. Whatever the legal limit, the best safety advice is, if you are going to drive don't drink, and if you are going to drink, don't drive," he said.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is expected to publish a consultation paper later this year on reducing drink-driving.

Expected measures to be debated include random breath tests for all drivers.

"We are currently considering a range of options to further cut the toll of deaths on the roads, including looking at drink-driving. A consultation is planned for later this year," a DfT spokesman said.