15/07/2008

New call to ‘cut teenage drink-drive limit to zero’

The drink-driving limit for teenage motorists should be cut to zero, according to the Government’s chief medical officer.

Sir Liam Donaldson said a total cut in alcohol would reduce injuries and deaths among accident-prone 17 to 20-year-olds.

He said: “We know that even without alcohol, young people are more likely to have an accident because they are inexperienced drivers and even with them driving within the alcohol limit, they are much more likely to have an accident than an older driver within the alcohol limit.

“Young people have enough difficulty when they first start driving. With their inexperience, learning the skills on the road, they don’t need the complication of drink as well.”

The RAC, however, claimed that a two-tier system would further complicate drink driving limits, which some people already found confusing. Currently, the limit for all drivers is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

“The drink-drive limit should be lowered for everyone,” said an RAC spokeswoman.

Sir Liam’s proposal came in a wide-ranging annual health report which focused on teenage binge drinking, drug taking and unsafe sex. The report called for a national teenage health summit and a young person’s panel to offer advise on national campaigns.

(Times Online)

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