A coalition of doctors and health experts is calling on the House of Lords to support a bill that would lower the drink-driving limit across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to match Scotland's stricter threshold. The Alcohol Health Alliance, representing organisations including the Royal College of Physicians and the British Medical Association, argues that reducing the blood-alcohol concentration limit from 80mg to 50mg per 100ml of blood would save lives and improve road safety.
The bill, set for debate in the Lords on Friday, proposes amending the 1988 Road Traffic Act. Under the proposed limit, an average man could consume just under a pint of beer or a large glass of wine, while a woman could have half a pint or a small glass of wine before reaching the limit. The alliance's letter to the Times highlights that drivers at the current limit are six times more likely to die in a road traffic accident than those who have not drunk any alcohol.
Scotland lowered its limit in December 2014, resulting in a 17% drop in drink-driving offences in the first three months of 2015. Northern Ireland is currently consulting on a similar change. The World Health Organization recommends a limit of 50mg/100ml, and England, Wales and Northern Ireland currently have one of the highest limits in Europe.
Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, stated that lowering the limit could save several hundred lives annually in England. He cited strong scientific evidence showing a marked deterioration in psychomotor skills and judgement between 50mg and 80mg levels. The Local Government Association estimates the change could save nearly £300m a year by reducing emergency service call-outs and hospital admissions.
A Department for Transport spokesman defended the current limit, saying it strikes a balance between safety and personal freedom, and advised against driving after any alcohol consumption. The bill's supporters hope a Lords vote in favour will signal to the government that now is the time to act.
