Random breath testing, but still no reduced alcohol limit

In a marked change of policy the Government has signalled that it intends to introduce random breath testing for drivers. However, it is still resisting calls to reduce the legal alcohol limit.

The proposal is contained in a review of the Government’s road safety strategy* published seven years into its original 10 year strategy to reduce the number of those killed and seriously injured on Britain’s roads by 40 per cent by 2010. The Government says that while overall progress has been good, with a 33 per cent fall in the number of killed and seriously injured achieved so far, drink driving remains a serious problem, and it states that in relation to factors that impair ability to drive, the battle against drinking and driving will be its top priority for the next four years.

The road safety review states that the public generally, and motorists in particular, see drink driving as a top priority.The RAC Report on Motoring in 2006 found that 89% of respondents named drink driving as one of their top three concerns. Efforts over many decades have meant that drink driving is seen as socially unacceptable behaviour.The Think! Annual Survey in 2006 found that a large majority of respondents (93%) agreed that driving over the legal alcohol limit was dangerous,with nine in ten (89%) expressing strong agreement.

However, the review says, there is still a minority of drivers whose drink driving is responsible for over 500 deaths a year.

Increasing breath tests
A main element of the new strategy to combat drink driving appears to be an increase in the number of breath tests administered to drivers and the introduction of ‘random’ breath testing.

The review reports a ‘welcome increase’ in the number of breath tests conducted and a reduction in drink-related accidents over the Christmas period of 2006 compared with Christmas 2005, and it explains that Department for Transport and Home Office Ministers wrote jointly to Chief Constables in England and Wales in early 2007, outlining the government’s position on enforcement levels. The Government gave ‘a clear steer’ to the police that criminal motoring offences are as serious as other criminal offences and should be enforced as such.

The review promises a consultation in 2007 to explore ways that enforcement might be made easier for the police, including the possibility of allowing fully random breath testing.

Alcohol Limit
On the legal alcohol limit for drivers the review concedes that many stakeholders have advocated reducing the UK’s blood alcohol limit from 80 mg to 50 mg.However, the review says, the limit cannot be considered in isolation. ‘The UK has stringent penalties for drink driving, and has better enforcement than many countries that have lower limits.

We will keep under review the case for a reduction in the blood alcohol limit. But our first priority is to improve the enforcement of the current limit, building on the recent achievements of the police.We are confident that this has the potential to deliver a substantial further reduction in deaths and serious injuries so continuing the good progress of recent years. And it is right that we should first ensure effective enforcement of the existing limit, so as to tackle those who are the most seriously impaired.’

On anti drink drive publicity campaigns, the review says that in 2006 the Government worked closely with the chief police officers to co-ordinate the enforcement and educational campaigns.The communications strategy was twofold:on television the Think! campaign promoted the message that you cannot gauge when you are over the limit so should not try, while online, radio and ambient media promoted the message that the police are around and that they find drink-drivers easy to spot. The Government currently spends about £3.25 million a year on the drink-drive campaign. It will also collaborate with the Home Office and the Department of Health on the relevant issues in the review during 2007 of the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England.

Ignition Interlocks
The Government also intends to encourage the use of ignition interlocks, devices that immobilise vehicles when they detect unacceptable levels of alcohol on the driver’s breath. Such devices are being promoted through the Road Safety Act, which permits a scheme whereby a court can refer offenders disqualified for at least two years to a rehabilitation programme involving the use of an alcohol ignition interlock. This will be tried as an experimental scheme in the first instance.However, the Government now wishes to extend this approach beyond convicted offenders to the driving population in general. There is, the review says, no reason why employers could not fit interlocks to their fleet of vehicles, and the Government will promote this as part of the driving for work programme.

The promised consultation will also look at ways of further separating drinking from driving, including looking at the role of the licensed trade, the responsibilities of service station operators and pub landlords and the extension of incentive schemes for designated drivers.

* Second Review of the Government's Road Safety Strategy. Department for Transport. February 2007