Drivers warned not to drink at all as limit set to be slashed in England and Wales
Pub-goers who want to drive should not drink any alcohol, the government has said, after announcing plans to tighten the drink-driving limit in England and Wales as part of its new road safety strategy.
The strategy, the first of its kind in more than a decade, aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65 per cent by 2035, and by 70 per cent for children under 16.
The drink driving limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is currently 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath; this is the highest level in Europe, along with Malta.
According to the strategy, this amount could be reduced to 22 micrograms in England and Wales, bringing them in line with Scotland, which lowered the drink-driving limit in 2014.
The strategy also proposes requiring some drivers convicted of drink driving to have an interlock installed on their vehicles, and introducing new powers to suspend the licenses of people suspected of drink or drug driving offences.
Although the blood alcohol limit has not been lowered to zero, transport minister Lilian Greenwood urged pub goers to leave their cars at home or drink soft drinks.
Asked whether people should not drink at all if they want to drive, Ms Greenwood told Sky News: “That’s probably the best advice. If you’re going to drive, don’t drink. If you want to drink, leave your car at home.”
He added: “I have spoken to many families over the last 18 months and they are asking us to take action. 260 people lost their lives as a result of drink driving last year. This is unacceptable.”
But he insisted plans to tighten drink-driving limits were not aimed at stopping people having a “great night out”.
Ms Greenwood told Times Radio: “We don’t want to stop people going to the pub and having a great night out. We’re just saying don’t take your car.”
“So that might mean that you know you can take a bus or a taxi in some places.
“You go out with a group of friends elsewhere, one of you agrees to be the designated driver.
“Having worked in the pub trade I know how many great low alcohol drinks there are on the market, many of our favorite brands are produced in a low alcohol version so people have lots of opportunities to kick things off, choose a different drink when you want to go out and have fun in the bar.”
He also said there was evidence that Scotland’s lower drinking limit had not had a “significant impact” on the pub trade.
Other measures planned to be consulted include introducing mandatory vision tests when drivers reach the age of 70, a minimum learning period for new drivers and cracking down on uninsured drivers and illegal number plates.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said 22 European countries have made “more progress than the UK” in reducing road crash deaths.
The number of people killed on Britain’s roads has fallen overall since the 1970s, but the decline has slowed since 2010.
There were 7,763 traffic accidents in 1972, 1,850 in 2010 and 1,602 in 2024.
Transport Minister Heidi Alexander said: “Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy that devastates families and communities.
“Progress on road safety has stalled for too long. This strategy is a turning point. From new drivers learning their first lessons to older drivers looking to maintain their independence, we are taking decisive action to make our roads safer for everyone.”
“The measures we announce today will save thousands of lives over the next decade.”
The DfT said some drink-driving offenders may be required to have alcohol interlocks fitted to their vehicles as a condition of being allowed to drive again; These devices prevent the vehicle from being started or driven unless the driver passes a breath test.
They are already used in many countries such as Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands and the USA in exchange for shorter driving bans.
Authorities hope vision testing for drivers aged 70 and over will help protect all road users.
Drivers, regardless of age, are not currently subject to mandatory testing once they get their licence, but they must notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if they are no longer fit to drive.
AA chairman Edmund King described the strategy as a “radical reframing of road safety”, while RAC road safety spokesman Rod Dennis said it “cannot come soon enough” and particularly welcomed the reintroduction of long-awaited fatality reduction targets and the possible use of alcohol interlocks.
Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at charity IAM RoadSmart, said the measures, following a “lost decade” in reducing deaths and serious injuries from crashes, were “robust policies to make our roads safer”.
Karen Tyrell, chief executive of the charity Drinkaware, said the rate of drink-driving fatal crashes has almost doubled since 2015, so “it is vital that this change is combined with strong enforcement”.
