New calls to lower alcohol limit as drink-drive road deaths rise for the first time since 2009 – and morning-after ‘menaces’ to blame
SHOCKING drink-drive figures have prompted fresh calls to lower the alcohol limit.
Booze-related road deaths have hit an eight-year high and 9,050 people were injured by a drunk driver in 2016 - a seven per cent rise on 2015.
Official estimates from the Department of Transport show up to 280 people were killed across the UK in accidents where at least one driver was over the alcohol limit - the highest total since 2009.
Hardcore drinkers are joined by morning-after the night before "menaces" as the cause for the rise.
Motoring organisations are now once again calling for a review of the nation's drink-driving regulations to prevent figures from rising even further.
In addition to lower alcohol limits, safety experts want increased police presence and a focus on major drink driving hot spots.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: "Part of the problem for this increase is the number of hard-core drink-drivers, those who are excessively over the limit
"The statistics need to show the breakdown of accidents by time of day to assess the proportion of drivers getting drunk at the pub versus those drinking at home who become a particular menace the morning after.
"To help redress the problem, we need more road traffic officers targeting people in places where there is most likely to be the problem."
Currently, England and Wales have a drink-drive limit of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, while other nations, including Scotland and Northern Ireland, have limits of 50mg or lower.
Recent figures have led the groups to again urge the Government to unite Britain with the same low alcohol level.
RAC road safety spokesman Pete Williams said: “We repeat our plea to the Government to review the drink-drive limit in England and Wales – the limit in these parts of the UK is among the most forgiving of anywhere in Europe, which surely sends the wrong message to anyone who thinks about getting behind the wheel after having too much to drink.
The road laws you need to know
"Our Report on Motoring showed that such a change has the support of 59 per cent of UK drivers."
Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, added: "We suggest a two-pronged attack: firstly, continued education and a lower limit for the law abiding majority who might stray or who don’t yet understand the risk.
"Secondly, getting the police to be more up front about what targeted enforcement actually means as they seek to catch those selfish enough to ignore the current limit.”