No work is being undertaken in the Department for Transport to assess an appropriate minimum blood alcohol concentration level for drivers. Controls over drinking and driving are based on the “prescribed limit” for drivers which represents the maximum permissible alcohol concentration for motorists.
The most recent assessment of the possible effect of a change in the legal alcohol limit was included in the 1998 consultation paper “Combating Drink Driving: Next Steps”.
We explained in the report of the second three-yearly review of our Road Safety Strategy (February 2007) that we will keep the alcohol limit under review. But our first priority is to ensure effective enforcement of the current limit so as to tackle those who are the most seriously impaired.
Copies of the 1998 consultation document and the 2007 review report are in the Library of the House.