The number of positive or refused* breath tests administered to drivers by UK police has risen by 8% this year, according to the latest figures released by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). This coincides with a massive cut in government funding for anti-drink drive campaigns – funding has been reduced from \u00a33.4m in 2009\/10 to just \u00a3550,000 in the current financial year.<\/p>\n
The latest figures relate to June’s summer drink driving campaign, during which a total of 88,629 drivers were breathalysed by police. Of the drivers tested, 6.06% (5,373) tested positive – a similar figure to the UK figures in the recent Europe-wide TISPOL crackdown<\/a>, which also took place during June.<\/p>\n These figures are bad enough, but what is worse is that the anti drink-drive message seems to be failing to reach younger drivers. The number of drivers aged under 25 who tested positive in June was 15% higher than in June 2010 – more than double the overall increase in positive tests.<\/p>\n Breath testing is standard procedure for drivers who have been involved in collisions that are attended by police, and the number of positive tests following collisions was 11.27% higher than in June 2010. The total number of accidents recorded was 16% higher than in June 2010, highlighting the link between drink driving and collisions and showing that a cut in anti-drink drive campaign spending could well result in a far higher costs.<\/p>\n It is worth emphasising that the UK blood alcohol limit of 0.08% is one of the highest drink-drive limits in the western world. As far as I know, all other European countries have lower limits – Ireland, one of the few other countries with a limit of 0.08%, is lowering its limit to 0.05% later this year, to bring it into line with most other European countries.<\/p>\n Just to recap, the UK drink drive limit can be expressed in three ways, all of which are equivalent:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Cutting spending on anti-drink drive campaigning is likely to prove a terrible false economy. The human and monetary cost to families, businesses and the emergency services is almost certain to far exceed a few million pounds saved by the government.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n