Drink and drug driving law

Memorandum from Steve Wilson (DDD 01)

In summary:

(1). I am AGAINST the proposed change to the blood/alcohol legal limit in the driving legislation

(2). I am FOR the inclusion of drug testing in the driving legislation

My reasoning?

Although I have no firm evidence to support this view (by which I mean firm statistics & figures), as a publican running a busy high street venue I feel I am well placed to offer a balanced view? I say this because:

(1). With regard to the first point above: my view has nothing to do with any potential affect on my business, simply because I don't believe it will have any effect! I firmly believe that the current limit is about right, as it catches the habitual drink/driver but poses no risk to the 'innocent' drink/driver? By 'innocent', I mean those driving, for example, the day-after-the-night-before who may still have a traceable amount of alcohol in their blood but not at a level that seriously affects their driving? Reducing the legal limit will have absolutely no affect on the habitual drink/driver because they already, by definition, break the law and will continue to break the law, even if the limit was zero. In my own experience, drink/drivers do not even consider their actions until they've either been caught or involved in an accident (or both)? The only possible affects of a reduction, therefore, would be to increase convictions of people who probably don't need to be convicted? I have no idea how you have come up with the figure of potential lives saved of +300 but, I suspect, it is simply government doing their usual thing of stating an over-simplistic calculation that supports their case!

(2). With regard to the second point: this is a very sensible measure and drug takers have been getting away with driving under the influence for far too long. I see many people under the affect of drugs who habitually drive, in the mistaken belief that it's much better than drink/driving, but I can tell you that I'd much rather get in a car with someone who has had 3 pints (putting them over the legal limit) than with someone who has had 3 lines of coke (and are still perfectly legal to drive)!!

What I believe you should do?

I believe the only way to properly reduce drink/driving is to introduce a higher limit BUT run it in conjunction with much more serious penalties? For example, an automatic jail sentence over a certain limit, regardless of the offender's position? I have absolutely no doubt you would see almost all the current habitual drink/drivers reassess their habits immediately!! Although even the most severe punishment will not stop all offenders, arbitrary limits and/or laws are not what prevents the law being broken, it is the penalty that has most affect...

July 2010