Drivers could be prosecuted if they drink more than one pint of beer under new proposals being considered by the government.
Transport minister Lord Adonis has suggested that UK limits should be more in line with other European nations, despite the UK boasting the second lowest number of accidents per million vehicles in Europe. Malta has the lowest number of accidents per million vehicles in Europe.
At current, the UK limit is 0.8g of alcohol per every litre of blood. Under the new proposals this figure could drop to 0.5g/l, with an even lower figure of 0.2g/l for novice, bus and lorry drivers.
However, the lower limits could be introduced alongside new punishments. It is proposed that anyone caught between the proposed level of 0.5g/l and existing 0.8g/l could receive points or a fine, rather than an immediate ban.
The changes are also likely to be combined with new laws on drug-driving. At present, it is only those under the influence of illegal drugs who are penalised.
Allowable levels of alcohol per litre of blood
0.8g UK, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta0.5g Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain0.4g Lithuania0.2g Norway, Poland, Sweden0g Estonia, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary
Source: European Road Safety Observatory
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Re: Drink-drive limit may be lowered
Not with that ridiculous tache, you're not.
Re: Drink-drive limit may be lowered
But really, did that matter to you disco.stu? Did it affect your attitude towards DD because you didn't know the limit? I bet you stuck to the same principles you used back home.
I remember once holidaying abroad and looking on in disgust as many of the locals drove home after a night out. Some of them could barely stand up, but it didn't change my mind at all just because it was apparently the done thing over there.
In an ideal world a level of zero is perfect. No way to argue that one, but who breathalizes themselves before they get in the car? A point was made earlier in this thread about the levels should be set as near to zero as makes no difference. Are we sure that's not where they are now? From a practical and legal point of view we have to have a non-zero limit, otherwise everyone's going to fail all the time!
I don't know about anyone on here but I can't imagine what 0.2ml of anything looks like and if they made the limit even less I would doubtless accept that but it still wouldn't make much practical difference to me because I don't drive when I've had a drink.
Re: Drink-drive limit may be lowered
No, fair point, but I was actually referring to laws and their enforcement in general.