Drink driving limits may fall in Northern Ireland

A British Government commissioned report just published by Sir Peter North has called for a reduction in the legal limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg.

The new recommendations would mean that some people could find themselves over the limit on as little as one glass of wine. Sir Peter who was the architect of the report, the first of its kind in over thirty-four years says that reducing the limit could save hundreds of lives on the country’s road network. The report has called for stronger measures to be applied which would mean if any person caught on the proposed new measures would face a 12 month driving ban. The report which has a further fifty-one recommendations is now being taken under review by the Government.

The report cites figures from the National Institute of Clinical Excellence, which estimates that as many as 168 lives could be saved in the first year of a reduced limit.

North said the public supported tougher limits. "Research conclusively shows the much higher risk posed by drink driving. With a blood alcohol level between my proposed new limit of 50mg/100ml and the current 80mg/100ml limit, a driver has a six times greater risk of road death than a non-drinking driver. The public is ready for a lower limit."

"Great Britain is almost the only European country to continue to have a BAC limit above 50mg/100 ml," the report says. It points out that Britain’s 12-month driving ban is tougher than the European norm.

North has also called for improvements to drug driving laws by allowing nurses as well as doctors to authorise blood tests of suspects. He recommended the development of a roadside saliva test of those suspected of driving having taken drugs.

The transport secretary, Philip Hammond, said he would "carefully consider" the report but would balance it against the possible damage to the drinks industry.

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