Drink and drug driving law - Transport Committee Contents


Memorandum from TTC 2000 (DDD 28)

1.   Do you think that the current prescribed blood alcohol limit of 80mg/100ml should be reduced to 50mg

    — It should certainly be reduced to 50mg. This would bring us in line with most of the rest of Europe. This could also be 20mg for professional and new drivers. This response is based on asking in excess of 100,000 convicted drink drivers who (a) find the current messages confused—ie you must not drink and drive but by the way you can drink up to 80mg! Northern Ireland intend to reduce their limit to harmonise with the South/ rest of Europe.

2.   If so, is the mandatory one year ban appropriate for less severe offenders, at the new lower level?

    — Yes, it should be noted that it is widely believed that, it is this length of ban that is the greatest deterrent; but if the limit were to be lowered, then it may have more credibility with the public if a reading of between 50mg and 80mg had a disqualification of say six months, providing a drink drive rehabilitation course was undertaken.

3.   How severe is the problem of drug driving and what should be done to address it

    — Most research considers drug driving to be a severe issue and the use of a new offence would make the regulation of drug driving more effective particularly with regard to a specific drug. However we appreciate that "level of drugs" is a very difficult concept. In particular drugs such as cannabis which are likely to impair for one to six hours following use, but may remain in the system for up to 28 days or longer for regular cannabis users. We believe these difficulties lie at the heart of government in action.

    (a) an absolute ban on driving with drugs in the system?

—Ideally yes, but please note response to 3 above.

    (b) driving with a certain, specified level of a drug within the driver's system, as is the case with alcohol? If yes, what drugs do you think should be included or specified and why?

—Certainly all illegal drugs and if tied with a certain amount, this would address the problems identified in 3 above ie the trace elements in the body some days after consumption, which would not be impairing, would not result in prosecution. Also if you had a level then over the counter and prescribed medicines could also be covered We believe that a new offence should apply to (a) all controlled drugs (eg heroin, cannabis, cocaine) and (b) prescribed or over the counter drugs which are used inappropriately or may otherwise have impairing effects.

4.   What wider costs and benefits are likely to result from changes to the drug driving law?

  Both road safety and health would be improved.

5.   What would be the implications of such changes for enforcement

  An effective machine for road side testing would be needed in respect of drugs. The current silly situation where motorists failing preliminary impairment tests at the roadside are "let off" by police surgeons without even considering blood tests even though PIT are well recognised as meeting a national standard.

August 2010





 
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