Transport minister set to reject lowering drink-driving
Wednesday 25 August 2010 Back to Blog
Van leasing drivers will not be subject to a lower drink-drive limit as the transport secretary is against the idea, it has been revealed.
Earlier this year a review headed by Sir Peter North recommended lowering the UK's drink-drive limit to make it more in line with the rest of Europe.
The report advised reducing the limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (around a pint of beer) to 50mg.
But it is understood that transport secretary Philip Hammond is against the idea as he fears it will be too damaging to rural pubs.
A source close to Mr Hammond told the Daily Mail: "The minister is very sceptical indeed about this idea. The majority of people who cause fatal car accidents are so far over the limit that lowering it won't make any difference.
"They are not going to stop drink-driving just because the limit has been lowered to one pint or less."
Official statistics suggest that driving at twice the legal alcohol limit increases the likelihood of causing a crash by a factor of 30.