Reductions in Drink-Drive limits

18 December 2015

In reporting the The Belgian government's decision to follow France with the introduction of a 0.2 g/l blood alcohol limit for young and novice drivers ETSC highlights other initiatives across Europe.

France’s lower BAC limit came into force in July and the country’s alcohol interlock requirements were extended to all coaches from September. Previously they were only required on coaches carrying school children.  Urban buses are excluded from the measure.

The new Belgian measures are part of a 15-point road safety plan announced by transport minister Jacqueline Galant in response to worsening official figures that show road deaths increased by 4% in Belgium last year.

 ETSC also highlights a survey by the UK’s Royal Society for Public Health published earlier this month found that two thirds of motorists who admitted to drink-driving would avoid driving after drinking altogether if the drink drive limit was reduced.

And a year after a lower drink-drive limit was introduced in Scotland, a Scottish Government survey found 82% of people agreed that drinking any alcohol before driving is unacceptable, while 12% disagreed.

According to a new report from the RAC Foundation around 25 lives could have been saved across Great Britain this year, if England and Wales had followed the example of Scotland and cut the drink-drive limit. The report has been prepared for the foundation and PACTS by Professor Richard Allsop.