Road Safety Drive As Booze Laws Revised

The drink-drive limit is to be almost halved for most drivers under the biggest shake-up in the law for 40 years and random breath testing will also enforce the tough new limits.

NI Environment Minister Alex Attwood said: "There is widespread public support for a step change in how we deal with drink drivers and I believe that what I am proposing will make a real difference."

He said that the blood alcohol limit would fall to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood for most drivers from 80mg.

It will be 20mg for young or inexperienced motorists or those who drive for a living - virtually nil in terms of taking a drink.

The SDLP Minister's proposals include a comprehensive package of measures to tackle drink driving including the introduction of new, lower drink drive limits and new graduated fixed penalties.

"Great improvements have been made in the 'drink-driving culture' in Northern Ireland over the last two decades.

"Unfortunately more needs to be done. Over the last five years 75 people have been killed and 473 seriously injured by drivers impaired by drink or drugs.

"This is totally unacceptable and I am determined to do what I can to tackle this issue once and for all.

"I have listened to the public on this. There is widespread public support for a step change in how we deal with drink drivers and I believe that what I am proposing will make a real difference," he added and said that, subject to Executive Committee agreement, the Department of the Environment intends to have drink drive legislation ready for public consultation by March 2012.

The new legislation would also include a graduated penalty regime including fixed penalties for first offences at lower limits and the automatic referral of offenders to an approved drink drive rehabilitation scheme.

It will also see the removal of the right, in certain circumstances, for a driver to ask for a blood or urine sample to replace a breath test sample.

The Minister concluded: "We must act now to prevent more carnage on our roads.

"What I and DOE are about is making Northern Ireland a better place to live, work and invest and this will certainly help do that."

The proposal will mean that NI has a different legal standing to the rest of the UK, where existing limits are being kept, but discussions about dropping the drink-driving limit in the Republic of Ireland are ongoing.

The 50mg/100ml already applies in several European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.

The Sinn Fein MLA Cathal Boylan has welcomed the proposed legislation and called for consultation with the Irish Government to set an all Ireland limit.

"The toll of 75 deaths and nearly 500 serious injuries over a five-year period through drink driving is unacceptable and this initiative will help empower the police to tackle those who still think it is ok to drink and drive.

"I also believe that there is an opportunity to consult with the Irish Government in order to set an all Ireland limit. This would be beneficial along the border area where two different levels could cause confusion."

(BMcC/GK)