Drink-Driving Links

Note: the presence of a link in this section does not imply that Sense on Drink-Driving agrees with all, most or indeed any of the content of the site.

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Response to the North Review

The response of the Association of British Drivers to the 2010 North Review which proposes reducing the the drink-drive limit. The North Review can be downloaded here.

A Fairer and More Effective Solution

The response of the Association of British Drivers to the government's 1998 consultation paper on reducing the drink-drive limit. This must be the most serious and sensible thing I have ever read on this subject - and entirely written from the viewpoint of road safety rather than concern for the future of pubs.

Combating Drink-Driving: Next Steps

The government's original consultation document on the proposed limit reduction from early 1998. When it says that there would be "no compliance costs" from a lower limit, despite the fact that even its strongest advocates accepted it would lead to a large number of pub closures, then you know this is a shoddy and half-baked piece of work. The report on the results of the public consultation at least acknowledged the threat to pubs, although it was somewhat dismissive of it.

National Motorists' Association (USA) - NMA's Position on DWI

A sensible and well-argued page from the US equivalent of the ABD. Quote: "A law enforcement officer cannot be looking for swerving, careening drunks if he is tied up with the processing of some miscreant who had four beers at the church picnic and blew a .09% BAC, after a traffic stop for a burned out license plate bulb"

American Beverage Institute

Contains an interesting presentation on the issue of lowering the drink-drive limit from 100mg to 80mg in the USA (for which you will need Acrobat Reader). The issues are much the same as those in the 80 - 50 debate here - and it is worth noting that a 100 mg limit applied in Ireland until the mid-1990s.

Drink-Driving - Why the Fuss?

A very wordy site, but well worth downloading, and gives a different and challenging perspective. Readers should note that I don't by any means agree with everything that author Gordon Haines says, but this is an interesting antidote to some of the extreme and emotive views that we often hear on this topic.

AIM - Alcohol in Moderation - Drink-Driving Section

Site aiming to promote responsible and moderate drinking that provides a digest of press articles and research concerning the drink-driving issue

Alcohol: Problems and Solutions - Drink-Driving Page

A serious and responsible American academic site produced by Professor David J. Hanson of New York State University, that strongly defends moderate drinking and, on this page, shows clearly how reducing drink-drive limits has much more to do with deterring drinking per se than reducing road casualties.

DUI Gulag

Hard-hitting American site that asks "what happens when our DUI laws reach the point where hundreds of thousands of American citizens are being criminalized each year for "drunk driving" even though they were not impaired at the time of their arrests?"

Drink Wheel

American site that allows you to calculate your breath/blood alcohol level based on various factors. Interesting to try, but I feel that the "pints of beer" option tends to underestimate the resulting BAC, and I strongly recommend that this should NOT be used as a guide to whether you may drive under British legislation

R U Pissed?

This site is more serious than it sounds and allows you to calculate your BAC with combinations of drinks of different strengths. However, as with the site above, the results should NOT be used as a guide to whether it is safe or legal for you to drive

Curmudgeon on Drink-Driving

Comments on the drink-driving issue made over the years by outspoken columnist "Curmudgeon". See The Pub Curmudgeon for further information

Reasonable Drivers Unanimous - DWI Page

American site that questions why so much political effort is invested in attempting to lower legal limits when all evidence points out that the vast majority of drink-related accidents are caused by drivers with a BAC of 150 mg or above.

Drink-Driver Education

Site produced by an organisation specialising in drink-drive rehabilitation training, which contains useful information about what happens to those convicted, in particular "high-risk offenders"

Telford Training Consultants

Another organisation providing drink-drive rehabilitation training, which offers courses in the Midlands and North-West

Campaign Against Drinking and Driving

This link is provided in the interests of balance - a fairly restrained and non-hysterical site, but their support for a lower limit is made very clear

Legal Sites

Byrne Frodsham & Co.

Firm of solicitors based in the North-West who claim special expertise in drink-driving law and a record of success in difficult cases

Caddick Davies Solicitors

"As specialist drink driving lawyers we are experienced in defending and mitigating such cases and have a record for success in drink driving cases. We work with leading experts in the field, to provide you with the best possible legal team to deal with your case."

Hammond Trotter Solicitors

"As drink drive experts we are in a unique position due to our extensive knowledge of this area of law to go through your individual circumstances to see what can be done to avoid a drink driving ban."

Geoffrey Miller

"The motorist's lawyer", offering a nationwide defence service for drink-driving and other motoring offences

X-Alc

Specialist drink-driving defence site from Geoffrey Miller Solicitors, containing a lot of useful background information

Mary Monson Solicitors

Describe themselves as: "Specialists in breathalyser and speeding offences, and ban reduction". Manchester-based but provide a service throughout England and Wales

Pannone LLP

Another North-West based firm providing a nationwide service

Rothera Dowson Solicitors

"We are motorist defence solicitors and lawyers for Transport Operators, professional drivers and bus and coach clients. We specialise in speeding and penalty points." Based in Nottingham

Richard Silver Solicitors

"With over 25 years’ of experience, we know how to get the best results. If you have a defence, we’ll find it."

Slater & Gordon Lawyers

"A leading international law firm with offices nationwide. For many years our experts have been working in road traffic law on high profile cases across the country. We have experience of all road traffic cases and can use this knowledge and experience to provide the best possible advice."

Stephensons Solicitors

"We are a large firm of Solicitors based in the North West of England. We have a particular expertise in defending motorists accused of committing motoring offences in England and Wales. Much of our work is in relation to representing people prosecuted for alcohol related driving offences."

Sweetmans Solicitors

"Sweetmans Solicitors are specialists in defending drink driving, speeding, parking and dangerous driving offences."

The following legal site is Scottish-based. Bear in mind that Scotland has a distinct system of law from England and Wales, and so you will need local legal representation if accused of an offence.

Michael Lyon Solicitors

"We are dedicated to defending the motorist in all types of road traffic cases throughout Scotland. At Michael Lyon Solicitors we believe we can provide the highest standard of legal representation and an unrivalled degree of specialism in the field of road traffic law."

Inclusion of a legal firm in this listing does not imply any recommendation or endorsement of their services

Press Articles

A pint and a half sir? You're nicked!

by Richard Littlejohn, taken from the Daily Mail

Don't Drink and Drive, and Don't Preach

by Austin Williams, Director of the Transport Research Group, taken from the Daily Telegraph

Bar, Car, Black Sheep

by Rob Lyons, taken from Spiked Online

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