WIREDGOV

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), the country’s leading family safety charity, has responded to the Police Federation’s call for a lower drink-drive limit.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at RoSPA, said: “One of RoSPA’s long-standing campaigns is for the drink-drive limit to be lowered from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg across the whole of the UK, so we are pleased to see the Police Federation taking up this cause.

“Despite decades of drink-drive education and enforcement, over 75,000 people are still caught drink driving every year in England and Wales[1], and between 4 and 5 people die in drink-drive accidents every week.[i]

“In 2012, provisional figures show that 230 people were killed, and 1,200 were seriously injured in drink-drive crashes. Often it is an innocent person who suffers, not the driver who is over the drink-drive limit.

“In 2012, 80 pedestrians were killed or seriously injured by drink drivers, as were 360 car passengers. 50 children were killed or seriously injured by drink drivers that year.[2]

“England and Wales should follow Scotland’s example and lower its drink-drive limit. We are sure this would help to save lives and prevent injuries on our roads.

“People need to realise that any amount of alcohol impairs a driver’s ability to judge speed and distance while behind the wheel. Alcohol also slows reaction times and can make drivers over-confident and more likely to take risks. Lowering the drink-drive limit will ultimately make our roads safer.”

[1] Table RAS 51016, “Road Casualties Great Britain 2013, DfT

[2] Table RAS 51005, “Road Casualties Great Britain 2013, DfT