England and Wales to lower drink-drive limit

Government Plans to Lower Drink-Drive Limit in England and Wales

The drink-drive limit in England and Wales is set to be reduced under government plans aimed at improving road safety. This strategy is the first of its kind in over a decade.

Road Safety Strategy Goals

The road safety strategy aims to cut deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65 percent by 2035. It also aims for a 70 percent reduction for children under 16.

Current and Proposed Drink-Drive Limits

The current drink-drive limit in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath. This is the highest in Europe, alongside Malta. The new strategy may lower this limit to 22 micrograms in England and Wales, aligning them with Scotland, which reduced its limit in 2014.

The power to change Northern Ireland’s drink-drive limit is held by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Additional Measures in the Strategy

The strategy also suggests requiring some convicted drink-drivers to install alcolocks in their vehicles. It proposes new powers to suspend driving licenses for those suspected of drink or drug-driving offences.

Other measures include mandatory sight tests for drivers aged 70 and older, a minimum learning period for new drivers, and a crackdown on uninsured drivers and illegal number plates.

Current Road Safety Statistics

The Department for Transport (DfT) noted that 22 European countries have made more progress than the UK in reducing road crash deaths. The number of road deaths in Britain has generally declined since the 1970s, but the decrease has slowed since 2010.

Official Statements

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated, “Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy that devastates families and communities.” She added that the strategy marks a turning point in road safety.

Alexander emphasized that the measures will save thousands of lives over the next decade.

Alcolocks and Sight Tests

Some drink-drive offenders may need to have alcolocks installed in their vehicles to drive again. Alcolocks prevent a vehicle from starting unless the driver passes a breath test. They are used in countries like Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, and the US.

Officials hope that sight tests for drivers aged 70 and above will help protect all road users. Currently, drivers are not required to take mandatory tests after obtaining their license.

Reactions to the Strategy

AA president Edmund King called the strategy a “radical reframing of road safety.” RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis welcomed the reintroduction of casualty reduction targets and the potential use of alcolocks.

Nicholas Lyes from IAM RoadSmart described the measures as “robust policies” for safer roads. Karen Tyrell from Drinkaware noted that drink-driving collisions causing fatalities have nearly doubled since 2015, stressing the need for strong enforcement.