Today (5 December) marks the tenth anniversary of the drink drive limit being lowered in Scotland – and four out of five Scots (79%) believe it has made roads safer.
According to a new poll of 1,000 Scots by breathalyser firm AlcoSense, a similar number (77%) think that England and Wales should follow the same example.
The Scottish limit was lowered on 5th December 2014 to 50mg of alcohol per 100mL of blood. The previous limit of 80mg still applies in the rest of the UK.
Other results from the survey show 41% of respondents no longer drink alcohol when they know they will be driving later the same day or the following morning – with a further 29% saying they’ve reduced consumption since the limit change.
The most popular way to avoid breaking the stricter law is to arrange alternative transport home after a night’s drinking – 46% now either walk, take a taxi or rely on a designated alcohol-free driver.
More than a third (35%) mention they now drink at home more, so they don’t have to worry about driving.
Hunter Abbott, MD of AlcoSense Laboratories, said: “Based on these findings, the number of drivers on Scottish roads with alcohol in their system has significantly reduced.
“The risk of being in a fatal accident increases exponentially as blood alcohol levels rise – even if you are below the legal limit.”
Four in ten Scots (40%) claimed that the lowering of the drink drive limit has resulted in them consuming less alcohol generally.
Three quarters (75%) were in favour of the change when it was introduced and virtually all of them (97%) continue to support it based on their experience of the past ten years.
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