Public back lower drink-drive limit

12 April 2012

More than three-quarters of people would support a lowering of the legal drink-drive limit, according to a new poll.

The survey comes ahead of a Government consultation which is expected to come out against reducing the blood-alcohol limit from 80mg to 50mg.

The poll for ITV's Tonight programme involving 2,903 people, showed that 77% would support a reduction to 50mg. Also, 17% of those surveyed admitted that they had driven home after a night out knowing they were probably over the limit.

And 20% said they had got behind the wheel the morning after thinking their blood-alcohol levels were over the limit.

The programme features Amanda and Phil Peak, from Partington, Greater Manchester, whose sons Arron, 10, and Ben, 8, died in a drink-drive crash.

The driver, former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Luke McCormick, 25, was jailed for seven years and four months after admitting causing the deaths of the boys and driving with excess alcohol.

In the programme, Mrs Peak says: "There shouldn't be a limit, it should be zero alcohol. Nobody knows where they stand with the drink driving, one person can drink one and still be under the limit, another person can drink exactly the same as what that person's drank and be over the limit."

She continues: "If you're going to drive, you shouldn't drink at all and if you are caught with drink driving then the penalties should be a hell of a lot more than what it is, never mind giving them a small fine and put a couple of points on their licence.

"Take the licence off them for six months and give them a £2,000 fine. You know it's going to make them think every time they get in a car that it's not worth getting a couple of points or my licence taken off me and getting a hefty fine."

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