The North Review has recommended the UK’s drink-drive alcohol limit be reduced from 80mg/100ml to 50mg/100ml.

A report has recommended that the drink-drive alcohol limit be reduced from 80mg/100ml to 50mg/100ml, according to the review by Sir Peter North, the first drink-driving report since 1976.

Sir Peter was asked to review both the drink and drug driving laws in a bid to reduce the casualties associated with these offences. Using statistics from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), approximately 168 lives – around 7% of current road deaths in Great Britain – could be saved in the first year of a reduced limit.

By the sixth year of the reduced limit being in place, the number of lives saved could even rise to a total of 303. Sir Peter also recommended maintaining the current 12-month mandatory driving ban at the lower limit.

Sir Peter said:  “Research conclusively shows the much higher risk posed by drink-driving. With a blood alcohol level between my proposed new limit of 50mg/100ml and the current 80mg/100ml limit, a driver has a 6 times greater risk of road death than a non-drinking driver. Having considered the issues carefully and considered views from all quarters, I not only believe that it is right to reduce the limit, but that the public is ready for a lower limit. It is time to give them what they want.

”Surveys also tell us that the public is in favour of lengthy bans for drink drivers and witnesses have told me that the current ban is the major deterrent to drink driving. I am therefore clear that the 12-month ban needs to be maintained at a 50mg/100ml limit.”

The review also recommended that drink-drive procedures become more streamlined to free-up police time on the roads.

With regard to drug-driving, Sir Peter recommended that nurses and doctors be allowed to authorise blood tests of suspects to help make the whole process more straightforward, plus that saliva testing at police stations – rather than relying on roadside tests – should be introduced in such cases.

Road safety campaign charity Brake has, however, stated it is “bitterly disappointed” with the review, and has called again for a zero-tolerance approach to the issue.

Julie Townsend, Brake’s Deputy Chief Executive, said: “Sir Peter North has missed a fantastic opportunity to make far-reaching recommendations to Government based on the evidence at hand. It makes no sense to lower the drink drive limit to 50mg/100ml blood when even Government campaigns are sending out the message that you shouldn’t drink any alcohol before getting behind the wheel. Let’s get the message straight so there can be no confusion – let’s make the limit 20mg alcohol or less, an effective zero tolerance approach.

“We welcome Sir Peter’s recognition that new laws are needed on drug driving combined with urgent roll out of existing drug screening technology and development of evidential roadside testing devises for drugs. No one needs to drive after drinking or taking impairing drugs – it’s high time we stamped it out once and for all. We all know it makes no sense and results in the needless death and injury of many people every year.”