The government has announced its first road safety strategy in over a decade, with a plan to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035. The strategy will consult on introducing a lower drink-drive limit to reduce collisions.
In response, Professor Sir Ian Gilmore said, “The Alcohol Health Alliance has long called for a reduction in the drink-drive limit in England, Wales and NI. We currently have the highest drink-drive limit in Europe, so government plans to bring us in line with Scotland and other EU nations is a welcome and vital step toward saving lives on our roads.
The evidence shows that even small amounts of alcohol impair driving ability. Drinking to the current drink-drive limit shows that you’re 6x more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than those who haven’t drunk at all. Countries that have introduced a lower limit have seen great reductions in road traffic deaths and injuries. This is a simple, effective policy that we know saves lives and makes our roads safer for everyone.
To ensure the policy delivers the impact we know it can, it must be accompanied by proper investment in enforcement, public awareness campaigns and access to treatment. It’s positive to see a range of preventive measures being considered, including lower limits that protect new driver safety, as this group is particularly vulnerable. We’d hope to see a commitment to dropping the limit further to 20mg Blood Alcohol Level for all in future.
We now urge the Government to progress swiftly with the consultation process to ensure life saving measures are introduced as soon as possible. The evidence is clear, the public supports it, and every day of delay puts more lives at risk.”
