Plans announced to lower Northern Ireland drink drive limit

A graduated penalty regime also to be introduced

Northern Ireland's Environment Minister Alex Atwood has announced plans to lower the drink drive limit.

The new legislation would include measures such as lower blood alcohol limits of 50mg/100ml for most drivers and 20mg/100ml for young or inexperienced drivers and for those who drive for a living. The drink drive limit is currently 80mg/100ml.

Also, a graduated penalty regime including fixed penalties for first offences at lower limits and court prosecution for high level first offences or any second or subsequent offences and random breath testing powers which would enable police to breathalyse drivers without the need to have reasonable suspect that the driver had taken alcohol.

Lastly, automatic referral of offenders to an approved drink drive rehabilitation scheme and removal of the right, in certain circumstances, for a driver to ask for a blood or urine sample to replace a breath test sample.

The Department of the Environment intends to have drink drive legislation ready for public consultation by March 2012.

Julie Townsend, Brake campaigns director, said: "We hope to see the rest of the UK following suit on these points: drink driving remains one of the biggest killers on our roads and it's high time we saw decisive action to stamp out this abhorrent menace."

Further information:
Brake