RSA report on alcohol limits published

The Government has published the findings of a Road Safety Authority study on blood alcohol limits for drivers.

In its submission to the Government, the RSA recommends that the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) should be lowered to 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, down from the current level of 80 mg per 100 ml.

It also calls for the introduction of a 20 mg per 100 ml limit for learner, newly-qualified drivers and drivers of a number of types of vehicles, including commercial trucks, buses, work vehicles and tractors.

According to RSA figures for 2003, alcohol was a factor in 36.5 per cent of all crashes and half of all those involving young men

The RSA report calls for the Garda to be provided with updated and recalibrated alcohol-testing equipment and for the Garda PULSE system to beadjusted to allow it to be used to issue summonses.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said earlier this month he would bring the RSA proposals to Cabinet before the Taoiseach steps down on May 6th.

The Government said in a statement today the recommendations "will be taken into account in drawing up the new Road Traffic Act" which is due to be submitted for approval over the coming months.

Under the terms of the Government's five-year Road Safety Strategy, which ends in 2012, it is committed to an unspecified reduction of the current limit by June 2009. If approved by Cabinet, the new measures would likely be in place by early next year.

The Labour Party's transport spokesman Tommy Broughan welcomed the RSA recommendations and called for increased enforcement to ensure their effectiveness.

"Enforcement is the key to reducing drink driving and enhancing road safety," he said. "The massively reduced level of fatalities on our roads over the last two bank holiday weekends was achieved through a major Garda road safety and enforcement campaign over those two long weekends"

He also accused Mr Dempsey of "lethargy" on the issue of drink driving.

The current BAC level of 80 mg per 100 ml was introduced under the Road Traffic Act of 1994. Prior to that, it had been 100 mg per 100 ml.

Among EU countries only Britain and Ireland allow a limit of 80mgs of alcohol per 100mls of blood. Bulgaria uses a graduated system with different levels of fines and suspensions depending on the amount of alcohol. Romania has a zero limit. Last July, Germany introduced a zero limit for drivers under 21 years.

The proposal to reduce the Irish limit was drawn up by an advisory group which included Prof Denis Cusack, head of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, Prof Ray Fuller from Trinity College and members of the Garda.