PACTS Policy Briefing: Combating Drinking and Driving

The imposition of a legal limit on drivers’ and riders’ Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was established in order to reduce the level of impairment while driving and thus reduce the numbers of people killed and injured on our roads. The current BAC limit for drivers and riders in the UK is 80 milligrammes.

1967 saw the introduction of the legal drink-drive limit and the roadside breath tester (non-evidential). Both introductions have made significant contributions to the reduction in numbers of people killed on our roads. Between 1980 and 2007, all road death fell by around 50% while drink drive road death fell by around 71%.

The drink-drive message is widely comprehended in Britain, but legislation fails to support the educational and promotional messages. The BAC limit in the UK is among the most lenient in the world and the drink-drive problem in the UK is far from solved. It has been estimated that in 2008, 6% of all reported road casualties and 17% of all road deaths occurred when someone was driving over the legal limit. That’s 13,020 injuries and 430 deaths.

Based on the choices they make around drinking and driving, the motoring population can be divided into three broad groups: the ‘Law Abiding’, the ‘Decidedly Defiant’ and the ‘Wannabe Compliant’. Looking at the behaviours within these groups allows for more effective legislative, research and educational actions.

PACTS makes three major proposals.

First, a reduction in the legal BAC limit for drivers and riders from 80 milligrammes to 50 milligrammes as part of a wider move to cut the number of deaths and injuries which occur on British roads every year.

Second, evidential roadside breath testing devices should be approved as a priority.

Third, all fatalities and injuries should be tested for alcohol and drugs.

A number of additional recommendations have also been made above. On its own, a reduction in the BAC limit from 80 to 50 milligrammes is likely to save around 65 lives and 230 casualties, or, in financial terms, £153m. The combination of all three measures could have a much greater impact.

• Government should give priority to responding to the findings of the North Review and publish a road safety strategy for beyond 2010 as soon as possible.
• The default Blood Alcohol Content limit for drivers should be reduced from 80 milligrammes to 50 milligrammes.
• ACPO should review its policy on breath testing following collisions to ensure that its powers are being used as widely and as effectively as possible.
• Evidential roadside breath testing devices should be approved as a priority.
• Police forces should be trained to similar standards in areas relating to drink and drug driving law enforcement.