Drink-Driving News

Note: All comments are those made at the time of the news item, and may have been superseded by later events.

Canada Rejects Lower Drink-Drive Limit
The Government of Canada has decisively rejected calls to lower the permitted blood alcohol level for driving from 80mg to 50mg per 100ml. This followed publication of an influential report by a key Canadian road safety advisory group which highlighted the "lack of convincing scientific evidence" that lowering the limit would cut casualties and warned of the risk of losing public support in the war against drunken driving. Three cheers for common sense, and a victory for real road safety. So isn't it time that our lot stopped sitting on the fence - as they have been doing for two years - and made the same decision?

Do We Have Too Many Police?
Lincolnshire Police have set up a "booze bus" in which drivers who are below the legal limit are treated to a presentation on the dangers of drink-driving. Although they have committed no offence one of them was described as having "escaped with a caution". What's next - rehabilitation for people driving at 25 mph in 30 limits, or those who only got their tax returns in a few days before the deadline? Is there no-one in Lincolnshire actually breaking the law that the police might think it worth trying to catch? If they have time to do this sort of thing, it suggests we have too many police, not too few.