Drink drive zero tolerance would avoid confusion

Published: 07/01/2013

January is typically a time for sobriety which, according to Red Driving School, can only be a good thing as its latest research revealed eight out of 10 young drivers are unaware of the drink drive limit.

The research saw 1000 young drivers aged 17 to 24 questioned with 79 per cent failing to correctly identify the current UK drink drive limit.

According to the Department of Transport: Reported Road Casualties Great Britain 2011 Annual Report, there were 6730 reported personal injury road traffic accidents where one or more drivers were over the legal drink drive limit, a 2 per cent increase on 2010. 15 per cent of all road traffic fatalities were caused by a drink driver.

While the gap in knowledge from young drivers surrounding the drink drive limit is undoubtedly worrying, can we honestly be all that surprised. The drink drive limit in the UK is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood; how many of UK drivers as a whole can translate these figures into some tangible?

The real problem is a tangible drink drive limit is as achievable as most people’s new years’ resolutions. Even if we were able to account for every possible variant, from the measure of the drink to its alcohol content, the fact remains that everyone reacts differently to alcohol. The same person can even respond differently to alcohol depending on another endless range of variables.

Red Driving School’s calls for more young driver education around drink driving may see an increase in the number of correct answers to its aptitude test. Whether this would convert in practice remains to be seen. Sometimes the answer is simply zero.

Content correct at time of publication