Drink Driving Limit

Speech by Alison McInnes delivered to The Scottish Parliament on Wed 12th Mar 2008

I thank Dave Thompson for lodging the motion for debate. We should be deeply concerned about the levels of drink-driving throughout the country. In 2005, 30 people were killed and there were 990 casualties from drink-driving related accidents in Scotland. Figures for the four week campaign to tackle drink-driving and drug-driving at Christmas, which was backed by ACPOS, show that 839 drivers were arrested during the period for numerous drink-driving or drug-driving offences throughout the eight police force areas. That figure is unacceptably high and represents only a small reduction from the previous year-by 69 from 908-and it demonstrates that there is no room for complacency.

We know that drink-driving is dangerous and socially unacceptable, but a percentage of men and women continue to ignore the risks that are associated with that dangerous course of action. Although there has been a general downward trend in the number of drink-driving related accidents of all severities, that trend has not been reflected in the number of fatalities, which remains the same as it was 10 years ago.

Liberal Democrats believe that reducing the drink-driving limit will save lives and we support the British Medical Association's campaign to lower the limit to 50mg. There is clear evidence that such a change will reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries that are caused by drink-driving. Drivers' reaction times and motoring skills deteriorate after even a small amount of alcohol. Drinking and driving is a poisonous cocktail. Drinking can give drivers a false sense of confidence, but it impairs their abilities significantly in a number of ways, including slower reaction times, poorer judgment of speed, time and distance, increased thinking and stopping distances, and poorer co-ordination.

Why has the UK persisted in sticking to a limit that was set in 1965? The system needs to be overhauled. There is much that we can learn from our European neighbours on the matter. Many people confess to being confused about the limit and how it relates to the stronger alcohol that is consumed nowadays. Often, people still think that one unit of alcohol equals one glass, but that is no longer the case. With the trend for much stronger wine, and with wine being sold in larger glasses, one glass can push a person over the limit. With a reduced limit, one pub measure of alcohol is all that would be allowed.

As people can be affected differently depending on their body weight and when they have eaten, the safest option will always be not to drink and drive. However, replacing the current limit of 80mg with a 50mg limit is a simple and effective step that will be easy for most people to understand. As Mr Thompson said, the 50mg level is the norm in 23 European countries.

I am concerned by the recent statistics that show that, although women still represent only a small percentage of the overall figures, the number of women who are convicted of drink-driving offences is rising. In the light of that, we need a review of the traditional anti-drink-driving campaigns. Targeted educational campaigns and better labelling on alcohol would also help to reverse that worrying trend.

Changing the permissible alcohol level is only one part of the story. We also need proper consistent enforcement and prosecution, so adequate police resources should be available to enforce any new limit. Without compromising judicial discretion, we should look to our courts for more consistency in sentencing for drink-driving offences.

Co-operative working is the key to reducing the drink-driving limit. As the issue is reserved, it is critical that the Administrations at Holyrood and Westminster work together. I urge the Cabinet Secretary for Justice to work closely with his counterparts at Westminster to secure action on the matter.