Young drivers could face zero alcohol limit, minister suggests
Young drivers could face zero alcohol limit, minister suggests
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A zero alcohol limit could be introduced for young drivers to boost road safety, a minister has suggested. Transport minister Lilian Greenwood said the Government is analysing the effectiveness of such a policy in other countries. The drink-drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.
Nowhere else in Europe has a limit above 50mg/100ml, and the Scottish Government reduced its limit to that level in 2014. During a Westminster Hall debate on road safety for young drivers, Ms Greenwood also suggested the Government may consider introducing a minimum training period before learner drivers can take a test.
She said: “We can… look to international experience. “For example, a number of countries have a lower or zero alcohol limit for young drivers, or a minimum learning period.”. Department for Transport (DfT) figures show 290 people were killed and 4,669 were seriously injured in crashes on Britain’s roads in 2023 involving at least one driver aged 17-24.
Several European countries have an alcohol level of zero or near-zero for new drivers, such as France, Germany, Ireland and Portugal. Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: “Quite rightly the minister has one eye on what is happening overseas to see what might usefully be incorporated into her new road safety strategy later this year.
