Drink drive limit change may not tackle worst offenders

The Law Society has warned that proposals to reduce the drink driving limit in Scotland may not tackle the worst cases involving people who drive after consuming alcohol.

The Society was responding to the Scottish Government's consultation "Reducing the Drink Driving Limit in Scotland" which proposes to use new powers given to the Scottish Parliament under the Scotland Act 2012 to reduce the drink driving limit from 80 mg to 50 mg of alcohol per 100ml.

The Scottish Government estimates that just over one in every nine deaths on Scotland's roads each year involve drivers who are over the legal drink driving limit with an estimate of an average of 30 deaths on Scotland's roads caused by drivers over the legal limit every year.

A final decision on possible changes to the drink drive limit is expected from Scottish Ministers next year.

Bill McVicar, convener of the Society's criminal law committee said:

"While we are entirely supportive of the policy intent behind the proposals, and share the Government's and the general public's disapproval and concern for those individuals who choose to drive after consuming alcohol, the majority of convictions relating to drink driving involve people who are not only substantially over the current limit but people who arguably know they are over that limit. It should therefore be questioned whether any reduction in the existing drink driving limit will tackle the worst offenders.”