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Legal drink-drive limit to be cut by a third        27/10/14

The legal drink-drive limit is to be reduced to 22mcg compared to the present breath test maximum level of 35mcg under Scottish Government plans.

Cutting the legal threshold by over a third is due to take place within six weeks.

The Scottish Government previously announced the intention to reduce the limit following a consultation which found almost three quarters of those who responded believed the drink-drive limit should be reduced.

The consultation responses suggested the likely benefits of a lower limit would be fewer road accidents and fewer casualties, with Scotland’s roads currently seeing 20 deaths a year involving drivers who had been drinking and driving.

If approved by the Scottish Parliament, the new reduced limit will take effect from 5 December.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “I have said before that I am determined we do everything we can to make our roads safer and save lives. Drink driving shatters families and communities and we must take action to reduce the risk on our roads.

“The latest estimates show that approximately one in ten deaths on Scottish roads involve drivers who are over the legal limit and research shows that even just one alcoholic drink before driving can make you three times as likely to be involved in a fatal car crash.

“As a result, 20 families every year have to cope with the loss of a loved one and around 760 people are treated for injuries caused by someone who thought it was acceptable to drink alcohol and get behind the wheel and drive. We cannot let this continue.”

Mr MacAskill said: “This new limit will bring Scotland into line with most of Europe and send a clear message to drivers who continue to ignore the warnings that there is never an excuse to drink and drive.

“Getting behind the wheel after drinking can have fatal consequences, the advice is simple; if you have had any alcoholic drink whatsoever, don’t drive.

“No-one should be drinking and driving and the new lower limit only reinforces what should already be the case with drivers taking full responsibility and not putting lives at risk.