The government recently announced proposed changes to drink and drug driving laws in the UK.
This news comes against a backdrop of statistics that show that in road traffic accidents in 2023, alcohol and drugs were detected in 20% and 22% respectively of all deceased drivers.
With these new proposals, the government intends to bring England and Wales more closely in line with best practices already in place in Scotland and parts of Europe.
So, what exactly is being proposed?
Lowering the legal drink driving limit
Alcohol can slow reaction times and impair judgement. The legal limit is currently set at 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in England and Wales. The new proposal would reduce this to 50mg, and the breath alcohol limit would also fall from 35µg to 22µg per 100ml of breath.
Evidence suggests this change could save at least 43 lives each year.
Novice driver rules
Learner drivers are set to face a much stricter alcohol limit. This could be as low as 20mg per 100ml of blood, and represents a near-zero-tolerance approach for new drivers.
The proposal recognises that novice drivers are statistically more at risk on the roads, being less experienced at handling hazards.
Introduction of alcolocks
Alcolocks are breath-activated devices that prevent vehicles from starting if alcohol is detected on the breath of the driver.
The UK is considering their introduction, after uptake in several European countries. Alcolocks are valued for their effectiveness in preventing drink drivers from reoffending.
New policing and licence suspension powers
Random drug testing and improvements to roadside testing are also a possibility, in order to provide police with more effective tools to detect drink and drug driving on the roads.
Finally, the government is exploring targeted licence suspension powers. These would allow police to suspend a driver’s licence immediately if they are suspected of drink or drug driving, rather than waiting for court proceedings.
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