Drink-drive limit could be reduced in government road safety strategy

The Department for Transport is set to review its drink-drive limit for the first time in over a decade.

The government’s road safety strategy is currently under development and will be set out in due course.

Over the weekend, the Times reported transport secretary Heidi Alexander is looking to introduce a wide-ranging package of safety measures, including a new requirement for an eye test for the over-70s every three years.

ITV also reported the drink-drive limit based on blood alcohol content in England and Wales could be reduced from 0.08% to align with the Scottish threshold of 0.05%.

The 0.05% drink-drive limit applies to countries like France, Italy, Germany and Portugal, while the United States operates under a 0.08% cap.

The number of drinks a person can have before reaching the drink-drive limit varies based on weight, age, sex, and metabolism, among other factors.

According to Road Safety Scotland, “just one drink can put you over the limit”.

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: “Our roads are some of the safest in the world, but any death on the roads is a tragedy.

“Road safety measures have not been reviewed for over a decade, and we will set out the next steps for our strategy for road safety in due course.”