Automatic driving bans in Ireland for drink-drivers above 0.5g/l - Drink driving policy news from ETSC - Winter 2019

Drink Driving Monitor Policy update from ETSC Automatic driving bans in Ireland for drink-drivers above 0.5g/l The Irish parliament has approved tougher new penalties for drivers caught over the legal BAC limit of 0.5g/l. Under the new rules, drivers with a BAC between 0.5g/l and 0.8g/l will face an automatic three-month driving ban. The previous penalty for that offence was three penalty points, but no ban. Read more...

Malta cuts drink-driving limit for novice drivers by 75% The United Kingdom is now the last EU Member State with a general blood alcohol limit of 0.8g/l, following a decision by Malta to switch to 0.5g/l. Read more...   German drivers “underestimating” drink driving risk The German Road Safety Council (DVR), an ETSC member, says drivers are still underestimating the risks of drink-driving. According to an opinion survey carried out for DVR by Ipsos in December, one in four respondents would drink one or two glasses of beer at a party within four hours and then drive home by car. Read more....   Drink-driving deaths in the UK have not decreased since 2010 New data on drink-driving collisions in the UK has been released by the Department for Transport. The figures for 2016, the latest year available, estimate deaths caused by drink-driving at 230, a similar level to 2010. Read more....   Czech Republic debates tougher sanctions for drink-driving Parliamentarians in the Czech Republic are considering tougher penalties for drink-driving. The leader of the CSSD party in the Parliament, Jan Chvojka is understood to be considering changes to the law that could include a lifetime ban for drivers that cause death while driving under the influence as well as longer prison sentences. Read more....   Half of drug-drivers involved in fatal collisions in France were also over the drink-drive limit New data from France confirms the large overlap between drink- and drug-driving in fatal collisions. Among the 439 drivers that tested positive for drugs after being involved in a fatal collision in 2017, half (224) also had a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level above the legal limit in France of 0,5 g/l. Read more....   Scotland: new drug-driving laws and roadside testing Scotland will introduce new drug-driving limits and roadside testing on 21 October this year, it has been announced. There will be a zero tolerance approach to eight drugs most associated with illegal use, including cannabis, heroin and cocaine, with limits set at a level where any claims of accidental exposure can be ruled out. Read more....   Austria launches drug driving campaign The Austrian Ministry of Transport has said that drug drivers are becoming an ever greater danger in road traffic. A new government-sponsored campaign has been launched to raise awareness. Meanwhile KFV, ETSC’s Austrian member is trialling new saliva test technology to improve the efficiency of enforcement. Read more....