Vehicle accident news
24/12/2009
Drink-driving limit may rise to cut car accident toll

Drinking a standard glass of wine or a pint of beer could put drivers over the drink-driving limit if England adopts the level imposed in many EU countries of 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood down from the existing 80mg, a move which is aimed at reducing vehicle accidents and casualties.

The Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has asked legal academic Sir Peter North QC to compile an independent report on possible changes to drink and drug driving legislation before Easter 2010.

Lord Adonis added that although the numbers of people killed and injured in a road traffic accident have been reducing, there was a need to cut the incidence of car crashes and personal injury caused by drivers who had been drinking or taking illegal drugs.

As well as the alcohol level, Sir Peter will also look at the possibility of introducing tiered penalties for drink-driving with those who have exceeded the limit by only a small amount punished less than those who are grossly over it.

Changes in the laws on drug-driving could include a new offence of driving with a named drug at specified levels in the blood. Drug-driving is becoming more of a concern to road safety experts who see it as a factor in a growing number of vehicle accidents.