N.Ireland lower drink drive limit.

spike7451

Heard this on the news on the way home,also random breathalyser tests coming in.Wonder how long before other forces follow suite?

The drink-drive limit is to be almost halved for most drivers under the biggest shake-up in the law for 40 years.

Random breath testing will enforce the tough new limits.

At present many people can have at least one drink and drive.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/drink-drive-limit-to-be-halved-16055024.html

*also posted on NI board*

SailorSam

I heard they say all they're doing is bringing it into line with other Countries in Europe.
Sooner the limit in this Country is brought down the better. I'm all in favour of spot checks.

Lum

The proposals also include automatic referral of offenders to an approved drink drive rehabilitation scheme and removal of the right, in certain circumstances, to ask for a blood or urine sample to replace a breath test sample.

That bit worries me as the breath test isn't something I would consider reliable enough for actually convicting people.

AlexisV

What's the point? Nobody dare state the number of drinks because it differs for each person. Yet they're saying that some alcohol is fine, but won't state how much.

I can only assume 80mg = 2 pints for most men, so 35mg must mean about a half is ok.

Really it should be 40mg. You've now more chance of being over by having one pint than if you had 2 pints with the old system.

scheming_gypsy

SailorSam wrote: »

Sooner the limit in this Country is brought down the better. I'm all in favour of spot checks.

why? all it will do is raise the number of drink driving offences, it won't change the fact of anything else. The limit is fine as it is, reducing it will just make more people a statistic because they had 2 pints of shandy with their pub lunch.

AnythingButChardonnay

Not a great idea. Not as simple as "lower limit = less accidents". The current limit was introduced because scientific studies back in the 1960s, when the limit was introduced, showed above that limit is where there is a significant increase in accidents.

With a lower limit it's rather more difficult to justify the 1 year minimum ban and criminal record punishment, which is one of the harshest punishments in the developed world and also a big deterrent. Also, while police are dealing with people who may have only had one glass of wine, they're not dealing with those who are a much bigger risk on the roads. The amount of police time involved in hauling a 'new' d&d suspect, who would be below the current limit, back to the station, onto a proper breathalyser (by which time they may well read below the new limit!), fingerprinted etc could be time far better spent.

'Europe does it' is not a convincing argument against the status quo.

maninthestreet

This change won't deter the hardened drink-drivers who regularly drive whilst way over the current limit.

SailorSam

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

why? all it will do is raise the number of drink driving offences, it won't change the fact of anything else. The limit is fine as it is, reducing it will just make more people a statistic because they had 2 pints of shandy with their pub lunch.

I don't agree, many people will ignore it but they do now, However over time most people will accept if you want to have a drink ... don't drive.
It was exactly the same with the seat belt law and crash helmets on motorbikes, even the attempts to stop[ smoking, over time motorists will accept it and drink less if they're driving the car.

teagan1966

im a driver , i would personally make it zero , then you cant think oh ill just have one glass and ill be ok , one large glass of wine i know id be over the limit , im not a big drinker so it would prob affect me more than a person who drinks weekly

AlexisV

However over time most people will accept if you want to have a drink ... don't drive.

Then why does the law allow some quantity of alcohol to be consumed?

SailorSam

AlexisV wrote: »

Then why does the law allow some quantity of alcohol to be consumed?

If i were making the law i'd go along with Teagan and make it zero.