The Police Federation has issued a call for the drink-drive limit in England and Wales to be lowered to match that in Scotland, according to BBC News.
The Police Federation, which represents police officers in England and Wales, will issue the call at its annual conference in Bournemouth today (19 May).
It wants the limit reduced from 80 to 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, and is also calling for more to be done to discourage women from drink driving.
The limit was lowered in Scotland in December 2014 and BBC News says prosecutions for drink driving have fallen by a third since then.
The Police Federation says that while more men than women are still caught drink driving, convictions among women are increasing as a proportion of all cases. A session at its conference will look at ways to tackle the problem of women and drink driving.
A report published last September highlighted the issue of women and drink driving, and called for and for road safety messages to make it clear that drink driving is not a just a male problem.
Victoria Martin, Police Federation spokesperson, told BBC News: "We’ve seen a steep decline in men drink driving over the years, with targeted advertising campaigns which is great, but women don’t seem to be getting the same message."
The call for a lower drink drive limit has been supported by GEM Motoring Assist.
David Williams, GEM chief executive, said: “Scotland reduced the limit at the end of 2014 and Northern Ireland is considering a similar plan. This would leave England and Wales alone with the highest drink-drive limit in Europe.
"We support the Police Federation in urging the Government to make this a priority task on its road safety agenda."
I have to unfortunately agree with Steve’s argument. At least the one about the law criminalising the general public. But that is just what the law does – it acknowledges something is wrong and harmful to society and tells members of society not to do it otherwise actions will be taken.
My argument is that this and other previous governments have caused this ongoing and horrendous problem by not acting with responsibility. By not preventing persons from taken drink, as with drugs, and from driving at any time under the influence of those substances.
Bob Craven lancs…Space is Safe Campaigner
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Since when has Government ever implemented recommendations of serious research? Do you remember drug policy being informed by expert opinion and evidence from other countries like Portugal? If the laws are sensible and not made in reaction to the campaign groups pressure you would have better laws that are fit for purpose and also do not heavily penalise people for going about their everyday lives. It’s easy to hit people with fines but slightly harder to change the design of roads to make them safer. I would suggest a ever decreasing drink drive limit is just another way of criminalising the general public to extract more fines. Who is going to do the testing, I do not see real police on our roads anymore.
Steve Armstrong, Halifax
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Come on! Why give a driver any chance of being over the limit either knowingly or accidentally? Let’s have some whatsits from this government and some time later this year before the festive period have nil tolerance to alcohol at all. After all, smoking was banned so they can do the same with drink. Then there will be no excuse and a drunk driver should lose the vehicle and have it scrapped or sold to the benefit of charities etc.
Bob Craven Lancs…Space is Safe campaigner
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It really is time that the Government accepted the recommendations of the 2010 report commissioned by the Department of Transport and completed by Sir Peter North. Sir Peter clearly reveals the overwhelming case for lowering the drink drive limit and this proposal is endorsed by the vast majority of road safety organisations including GEM Motoring Assist. So come on Mr Cameron no more delays please, this is clearly an issue over which England & Wales needs to follow Scotland’s lead.
David Williams MBE. Chief Executive GEM Motoring Assist
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