Safety charity calls for lower drink-drive limit
A road safety charity is calling for a reduction in England’s drink drive limit.
Brake says that the limit of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is the highest in Europe.
The Scottish Government reduced its limit to 50mg/100ml in 2014.
Brake head of campaigns,
Jason Wakeford, said: "Thousands of people are being needlessly killed and injured at the hands of drink-drivers every month.
"We need to change the culture around drink-driving, starting with awareness that any amount can be deadly."
He added: "While measures such as effective ongoing police enforcement and public information campaigns are helping to reduce deaths and injuries, the Government should follow Scotland's lead and reduce the legal limit.
"Such a move would make it clear to drivers that no amount of alcohol is safe when behind the wheel."
The call came as police forces around the country are stepping up patrols, spot checks and information campaigns in the run-up to Christmas.
Research shows that December is the second deadliest month for drink-driving.
Analysis of Government figures by Brake found that 6,140 people were killed or injured in collisions involving at least one driver over the alcohol limit on Britain's roads during December between 2012 and 2019.
This was behind only August, which had 6,260 casualties over the same time frame.
A total of 69,000 people were killed or injured in drink-drive crashes across all months in the eight-year period. Some 6,730 motorists were caught in 2020 during the annual festive operation.