Poll support for lower drink-driving limits

Some 68 per cent of people in the Republic would like to see the drink-driving limits reduced further, the National Safety Council said yesterday.

"The results of our research clearly indicates that road safety is considered one of the most important issues facing Ireland at present," said Mr Pat Costello, the council's chief executive. "In fact, nine in every 10 of those we polled viewed the issue as very important. There is also a high level of awareness of the issues and strong public support for measures to combat the carnage on our roads."

Citing a telephone survey of 900 adults commissioned from Lansdowne Market Research, the council claims that more than two-thirds of people believe that the blood/alcohol level for drivers should be reduced to 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, which is the most common level in other EU states.

The Republic, Luxembourg and Britain are the only EU countries which have 80mg as a standard. In Sweden and Portugal, the level is 20mg, while in Portugal drivers found with between 20 and 50mg are subject to a fine rather than a ban. In general, the standards of tolerance for driving with alcohol are lower in the EU applicant countries of eastern Europe. Poland, for example, has a zero level.

According to the council, the greatest support for a reduction in the Republic's standard comes from the 25 to 35 age group and from those living in Dublin. These categories gave a 73 per cent approval to a reduction to 50mg.

People living in the rest of Leinster gave the reduction a marginaaly lower level of approval (71 per cent). Women were most in favour of the move - 71 per cent as opposed to 65 per cent of men.

The survey also reveals that a very large majority of respondents (96 per cent) agreed that there should be an increase in the breath-testing of drivers. Again, more women (97 per cent) than men (94 per cent) agreed with this.

Other findings of the survey included:

almost total support from those aged between 18 and 34 for increased breath-testing;

more than 80 per cent agreed that the speed limit should be lowered on narrow country roads;

84 per cent considered drinking and driving the biggest threat to road safety; this was followed closely by speeding (83 per cent) and by the failure to wear seatbelts (61 per cent);

92 per cent agreed that greater financial investment was necessary to tackle the issue of road safety while 83 per cent felt that greater Garda enforcement of the road traffic laws was also necessary.

When respondents were asked where additional funding for road safety should come from, the first choice of 78 per cent was raising money from an increase in fines for driving offences; 37 per cent opted for increased alcohol prices; 10 per cent favoured petrol price increases and 6 per cent said that the money should come from an increase in insurance premiums.