Drink drive cut rejected by Select Committee

The Transport Select Committee has rejected proposals to reduce the drink drive limit from 80 to 50mg per 100ml of blood.

Instead the Select Committee has recommended greater enforcement of the current limit and giving police additional powers to carry random breath tests as part of a targeted drink drive campaign.

"The pub trade takes its responsibilities in this area very seriously and has played a key role in promoting public education messages about drink driving, taxi and designated driver scheme," said Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers Nick Bish.

"We are committed to doing all we can to further reduce the number of deaths associated with drink driving — one fatality, one casualty is one tragedy too many.

"That is why we urged the Committee and the Government to stick to the current limit.

"Any change would send out a mixed message with the official advice not to drink and drive at all — and that is a risk we are not prepared to take."

Bish added: "We agree with the Committee that a change in the limit would not necessarily reduce deaths and casualties on the roads.

"All the evidence suggests that highly visible, sustained and frequent enforcement, backed up by stringent penalties is the most effective means of making in-roads on the drink drive statistics.

"That is where the drink drive limit comes into its own — as an indicator of when those penalties should apply — and we would urge the Government to make the most effective use of it before changing what patently works."