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The 2016 Report on Motoring once
again shows strong support among
motorists for a lower drink-drive
limit across the whole of the UK with
57% in favour. More specifically, 36%
think it should be 50mg/100ml and
21% think it should be 20mg/100ml.
Opinion is split over whether a
lower UK-wide limit of 50mg/100ml
would be effective in deterring
drink-drivers. Two-fifths (40%)
think it would help, against 37%
who don’t. Interestingly, 60% of
Scottish motorists think a
reduction would be effective,
which is perhaps a reflection of
their positive experience since the
law was changed two years ago.
Among those who think a lower
limit will not have an impact,
two-thirds (66%) say this is because
they do not expect a change in the
law to deter habitual drink-drivers.
There was little change in the
percentage of motorists who admit
to driving under the influence
either of illegal drugs or banned
prescription medication: 7% say
they have done so in the past 12
months compared with 6% in 2015.
There is some evidence to suggest
that of those who have driven after
taking class A, B or C drugs, more
than two-thirds are under 35.
But of those who have driven with
banned prescription drugs in their
system* the age profile is a little
different, with 43% in the 35 or
over category, 40% aged between
25 and 34, and 17% under 25.
2.0
Road safety
40
%
of motorists think
a lower drink-drive
limit of 50mg/100ml
would help deter
drink-drivers
43
%
of those who have driven with
banned prescription drugs in
their system* are aged 35 or over
RAC call to action:
Road safety: see page 88
*Small research sample
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RAC Report on Motoring 2016