Motorists back lower drink-driving limit

Car wreckage from a drink drive crash

Three quarters of UK drivers want a lower drink-drive limit, according to a survey published today.

In the wake of Scotland lowering its drink-drive limit earlier this month, many UK drivers want to follow suit and ideally go further by introducing a zero-tolerance limit.

In the UK-wide survey of 1,000 drivers — by the road safety charity Brake and Direct Line — three in 10 said the UK should get in line with Scotland and most of the EU by lowering the limit to 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, a limit also set to come into force in Northern Ireland next year.

More than two in five said the UK should go further by introducing a limit of 20mg/100ml — effectively zero-tolerance.

Only a quarter said the limit should remain at the current level of 80mg/100ml — a limit shared only by Malta in the EU.

Brake is calling on politicians of all parties to make a zero-tolerance 20mg/100ml drink-drive limit a key manifesto commitment for next year’s general election, in line with the evidence that even 20-50mg/100ml alcohol in your blood makes you at least three times more likely to be killed in a crash.

This could help stop the estimated 65 deaths a year caused by drivers who drink but are under the legal limit.

Brake is also renewing calls in the run-up to Christmas for the public to show zero tolerance on drink-driving, pledge to never drive on any amount of alcohol and plan ahead to make sure they can get home safely.