Demonising the motorist

SO Glasgow University researchers have found that four years of stricter alcohol limits for drivers has had zero effect on the accident rate (“Law change on alcohol has failed to make our roads safer”, The Herald, December 13). The researchers have postulated that the reason for this result is insufficient publicity and a less than draconian police presence. However, they offer no evidence to support these conclusions.

I would suggest Occam’s Razor applies here. The most obvious reason is the statistics utilised to justify the reduction in alcohol levels were irrelevant to the causation of the accidents. Drivers were breathalysed whether at fault in an accident or not. They were and still are breathalysed the next morning despite the fact there is no research which indicates impaired driving ability after this period of time.

Given these factors the most obvious conclusion is that alcohol was not a factor in the vast majority of accidents. Politicians succumbed to single-issue pressure groups and claimed they were merely falling in line with European legislation but omitted to mention that in Europe there is a sliding scale of punishment before the driving ban. Once again the motorist has been demonised and the Glasgow University research underlines just how badly thought-out the legislation is.

David Stubley,

22 Templeton Crescent, Prestwick.