LARSOA demands answers on Government drink-drive u-turn

The Local Authority Road Safety Officers’ Association (LARSOA) is calling on the government to explain the reasons behind their decision to perform a u-turn on plans to reduce the drink-drive limit.
 
A report in The Times today (6th October 2008) claims that the government has changed its mind about reducing the limit from 80mg to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
 
Reducing the limit would bring the UK in line with the rest of Europe and research shows it would save 65 lives each year.
 
LARSOA backed the plans to reduce the limit when announced by Sir Liam Donaldson, the government’s Chief Medical Advisor, in July this year and feels that this decision is putting the lives of thousands of road users at risk.
 
The article reports that when the consultation document on the drink drive limit is released later this year it will not include the proposal, as the government does not see drivers who have between 50mg and 80mg of alcohol in their blood as a priority.
 
Alan Kennedy, Vice Chair of LARSOA, said on the decision:
 
“We are absolutely staggered at the government’s decision to go back on the reduction of the drink-drive limit. This is not only a blow for those who have been campaigning for the reduction, but also means that the lives of motorists and other road users are being put at risk.
 
“LARSOA will be writing directly to Jim Fitzpatrick demanding an explanation for this u-turn. Any amount of alcohol in the blood impairs a person’s ability to drive, and whilst a zero limit is unrealistic, a cut in the limit would mean less people would take the risk of driving whilst under the influence.
 
“The government should be presenting a clear message that drinking and driving is not acceptable under any circumstances instead of presenting a view that it is socially acceptable to put peoples lives at risk by driving after having a drink.”