DRINKING AND DRIVING : CHOOSING THE LEGAL LIMITS

The legal limit for drinking and driving in Britain is 80 mg/dl (17.4 mmol/l) of alcohol in the blood. This was chosen 20 years ago on the basis of studies that have recently been reanalysed. Changes in public opinion, the results of recent research, and the evaluation of other countermeasures, such as random breath testing, show that there are good grounds for revising the legal limit downwards. It is suggested that the legal limit should be reduced from 80 mg/dl to 50 mg/dl (10.9 mmol/l) and random breath testing introduced as in most Nordic countries. A zero limit is proposed for learner and first year drivers, who are likely to have accidents even with low concentrations of alcohol in their blood. (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00071447
• Corporate Authors:

  British Medical Association

  BMA House, Tavistock Square
  London WC1H 9JR,   United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • DUNBAR, J A
  • PENTTILA, A
  • PIKKARAINEN, J
• Publication Date: 1987-12-5

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 1458-60
• Serial:
  • BMJ
  • Volume: 295
  • Issue Number: 6611
  • Publisher: British Medical Association
  • ISSN: 0959-8138
  • Serial URL: http://www.bmj.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Blood alcohol levels; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Random breath tests
• ITRD Terms: 1542: Alcohol test; 1553: Blood alcohol content; 9009: Decrease; 1772: Driver; 2231: Drunkenness; 1556: Legislation; 9048: Modification; 6553: Sample (stat); 8119: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00478851
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 31 1989 12:00AM