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Strong support for action on drink driving
24/01/2010
A new poll has shown that an overwhelming majority of Scots would now back even tougher action on drink driving - by reducing drink drive limits.
The survey shows that four out of five Scots want to see the current drink drive limit reduced from 80 mg per 100 ml of blood to 50 mg per 100 ml blood.
This follows a tough drink-drive crackdown by police which saw nearly 500 arrests and numerous car seizures over the Christmas and New Year period.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said that the poll showed the Scottish public had clearly had enough and renewed his calls for the UK Government to transfer the powers necessary to allow him to take action now.
Mr MacAskill said:
"We may have moved into a new decade, but it's clear some drivers still hold outdated attitudes and still think its okay to drink and drive.
"Sadly we've already seen hundreds of drivers ignore the risks and put lives in danger in the last few weeks.
"That is absolutely deplorable in this day and age and these people are finding out the hard way that their actions will be met with by the full force of the law.
"The Scottish public have clearly also had enough of them. It is encouraging to see so many people speaking out, and we agree with them.
"We've been calling on the Westminster government to get a move on and transfer drink drive powers to Scotland so that we can take the tough action needed to reduce drink drive limits even further. I'd ask them to wake up and listen - the Scottish public want these limits reduced. Other European countries have already taken action to reduce their drink drive limits and Scotland must do the same.
"We want to move to a situation where people are left with no excuse as it is becoming increasingly clear that the only way to get through to drink drivers is a no-nonsense approach."
Chief Superintendent Brian Anderson of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary and ACPOS lead for Drink Driving issues, said:
"For several years now ACPOS has supported the proposal to lower the current blood alcohol limit, either nationally or by means of devolved legislative responsibility to the Scottish Government.
"Research has shown that 65 lives a year could be saved as a result of reducing the limit to 50 mg and that 230 people a year would be saved from serious injury throughout the United Kingdom.
"We have all agreed to tackle the Scottish Government's challenging casualty reduction targets for the next ten years and a reduction in the drink drive limit would certainly assist us to achieve those targets."
Omnibus research was conducted by Progressive Partnership Ltd over the week beginning December 1, 2009. 1008 individuals aged over 18 weighted to be representative of the Scottish population by age, gender, social grade and region were asked a number of questions. The survey showed that 79 per cent of those surveyed would back a reduction in the drink drive limit from 80 mg per 100 ml of blood, to 50 mg per 100 ml of blood.
As part of a joint ACPOS, Crown Office and Scottish Government crackdown on drink drivers over the Christmas and New Year period 490 people were arrested. Of these 47 offenders were found to be repeat drink drivers, four of whom have had their cars forfeited and a further 24 seized pending consideration by the Court.
The number of drivers caught during this year's campaign is down significantly on last year's figure of 654 and down even more on the 2007 figure of 839. However, it is clear some are still ignoring the dangers and putting lives at risk.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the festive crackdown against repeat offenders is now being continued beyond the four week campaign in an effort to further reduce road casualties.