Zero drink call for new motorists

NHS Tayside wants a zero-alcohol limit and random breath testing

Newly qualified drivers should not be allowed to drink a single drop of alcohol before getting behind the wheel, according to NHS Tayside.

In response to the Scottish Government's consultation on alcohol laws, the health board said a drink ban would reduce injuries on the roads.

It added that such a move should be a first step to introducing a zero alcohol limit for all motorists.

It said changes to alcohol limits must be backed up by random breath testing.

The health board said the sudden breath checks would show motorists there was a good chance of getting caught.

'Highest limit'

NHS Tayside consultant, Dr Peter Rice, said the UK was one of the few European countries with a legal alcohol limit for drivers of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

"Most of mainland Europe has gone to 50mg and some countries are now at 20 and some are experimenting with a zero limit, so the UK is among the countries with the highest limit," he said.

"Younger drivers have far higher rates of accidents than any other group, young men in particular have accident rates 10 times that of other groups in the population and alcohol is a frequent factor in these road accidents.

"That needs to be the message that drinking and driving don't mix and that not drinking at all is the safest. And there has been international experience which has shown that inexperienced drivers are more affected by alcohol, so we were keen for the government to look at the results of those experiments."

However, Dr Rice recognised there could be some technical problems with a zero limit, for example people may still have a small amount of drink in their system from several hours before and that the body can produce small amounts of natural alcohol in people with some conditions or who are taking certain medications.