MYTH: It’s not my problem. Alcohol has no effect on my driving

DRINK DRIVING FACTS:

All drivers are affected by drinking even small amounts of alcohol. Alcohol affects judgement, vision, co-ordination, and reaction time. It causes serious driving errors, such as:

• Your peripheral vision is affected making it difficult to see signs and other road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists
• Increased reaction time to hazards
• Driving too fast or too slow
• Driving in the wrong lane
• Running over the kerb
• Weaving
• Quick, jerky starts
• Not signalling, failure to use headlights
• Straddling lanes
• Running stop signs and red lights
• Improper overtaking

MYTH: Reducing the limit will shut down rural Ireland

DRINK DRIVING FACTS:

Over the past decade Ireland has seen a massive change in the way we socialise and how we view health and safety issues.

Our drinking habits including where and how we choose to socialise have changed dramatically. A major factor in this change has been the growth of a more well-off society, increased mobility and a greater choice of social and recreational acitivites. In short, people in rural Ireland have more options than were available 10 years ago.

It has also been brought on by the changes that have taken place in the area of health and safety.

A smoking ban in all places of work, including pubs and restaurants has been introduced, in the interest of the health and safety of employees. New anti drink driving laws have also been introduced in an effort to save lives and prevent injuries on our roads.

While these changes have highlighted some new challenges, for example rural transportation, by and large their introduction is supported by the vast majority of people in Ireland.

The introduction of a lower drink driving limit will not radically change the behaviour or affect the lives of the majority of people in this country. Currently 87% of drivers believe drink driving is extremely shameful behaviour and 67% believe the drink drive limit should be lowered.

Lowering the limit will therefore contribute to changing the behaviour of some drivers who to date have been slow to join the majority of drivers.

The results of drinking and driving have left countless communities devastated in this country with lives lost and families left grieving.

Far from shutting down rural Ireland, reducing the drink drive limit will protect the lives and well being of our families, neighbours, friends and work colleagues in our communities. It is important to understand the range of issues facing rural Ireland including rural transport, social inclusion and sustainable communities. Promoting the safe use of roads in rural Ireland is an integral policy measure to protect and sustain rural communities.

The same argument was made in 1968 when BAC was introduced and in 1994 before the BAC was reduced to 0.08. In both of these cases, the argument was without foundation.

MYTH: The UK has decided not to reduce its drink drive limit (.08 BAC limit) why should Ireland?

DRINK DRIVING FACTS:

The UK’s Road Safety Minister has said that instead of lowering the drink drive limit they would focus on better enforcement of the existing limit.

Ireland was in an identical situation to the UK prior to the introduction of Mandatory Alcohol Testing (MAT) in this country.

Before considering any lowering of the drink drive limit in Ireland there first had to be effective enforcement of the current limit. This has happened with the introduction of MAT in Ireland. Therefore, it is now appropriate to lower Ireland’s drink drive limit.

Unlike Ireland, UK police do not have mandatory alcohol testing powers. This is something that is now being considered as part of a consultation process that is looking at better ways of enforcing the current limit in the UK.

The UK along with Ireland and Malta are the last countries in Europe not to implement the EC Recommendation on Drink Driving of a .05 BAC limit.

Continue reading: Alcohol Driving & Road Crashes