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Motoring news

Scots support lower drink-drive limit

25/01/2010

The Scottish Government is stepping up calls for devolved powers to toughen up drink-driving laws in the country, after a poll suggested four in five Scots would welcome lower alcohol limits.

Carried out for the country's government by Progressive Scottish Opinion, the poll of 1,008 people found that 79% would welcome the limit being cut from 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood to 50 mg. This would bring Scotland into line with European countries such as Sweden and Norway.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has now asked the Westminster government to "wake up and listen" to the voice of the Scottish people, reiterating his call for them to "get a move on and transfer drink-drive powers to Scotland so we can take the tough action needed". It follows a crackdown on drink-driving which saw almost 500 arrests over the Christmas and New Year period.

"We want to move to a situation where people are left with no excuse as it is becoming increasingly clear that the only way to get through to drink drivers is a no-nonsense approach," MacAskill added.

"Sadly we've already seen hundreds of drivers ignore the risks and put lives in danger in the last few weeks.

"That is absolutely deplorable in this day and age and these people are finding out the hard way that their actions will be met with by the full force of the law."

The move is being supported by Chief Superintendant Brian Anderson, drink-driving lead for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS), who said that the organisation had long supported the proposals - whether they were imposed through devolved powers in Scotland or across the UK.

And the policy has the backing of safety groups.

Road safety charity Brake called on policymakers for a similar reduction in drink-drive limits during its Not a drop, not a drag campaign in November.

Meanwhile RoSPA said last week that drivers with between 50mg and 80mg - those within the current legal limit - were two-and-a-half times more likely to be involved in a crash, and six times more likely to be in a fatal accident than drivers who had not touched alcohol.