PRESS RELEASE

DATE: 28 October 2009
SOURCE: The Irish School Of Motoring

The spokesperson from the ISM has called upon our elected representatives to grow up and act like responsible adults with regards to the proposed legislation changes.

“It is abundantly clear for anyone prepared to look into this matter to see that Ireland's legislation has lagged behind virtually all of the more civilised neighbours in the EU.  Many families have grieved after the loss a son, a father, a brother, a daughter, a mother or a sister as a result of our presently weak legislation.

There can be no defensible reason to continue to follow the current outdated and gutless legislation when a pragmatic - and yet not dictatorial new direction has been carefully prepared and is proposed.

To hear some comments, it could be thought that the proposal was actually the introduction of alcohol prohibition to Ireland!  Although a zero blood alcohol drive limit is operating successfully in four European countries, the suggested limit is not in fact zero and indeed there is still every expectation that you will still be able to go to a pub and order a pint!

The 0.05 limit brings us into line with most educated recommendations.  The proposal as it stands includes the enhancement of the additional protection of a 0.02 limit for our vulnerable new drivers as well as those in whom we may place our trust to get us home safely - professional drivers.

It has been suggested that the protection of our lives and the prevention of needless fatalities comes at the cost of the ruination of rural life as we know it.  With a similar fondness for a drink as well as a highly ruralised society, the French have been able to manage with a .05 limit for some time – in fact their culture remains as strong as ever!

Some of those who support the retention of the ineffective and excessive present limit suggest that somehow driving under the influence of alcohol is somehow a needed aspect of life today.  Whilst the cynical may suggest that certainly much of what we read, hear and see in the news may drive one to drink, actually doing so is hardly a requirement for everyday life.

The simple fact is that alcohol is a contributory factor for one in three fatal road crashes in Ireland.  This figure puts us at over twice the level of that in the UK and, to sharpen the comparison, six of our EU neighbours indicate that  alcohol is a related factor in less than one in ten fatal crashes.

It is the view of the ISM that failure to fully support this proposal is an insult to the families of those who have lost a relative due to a drink related accident.

We fully support the work of the Road Safety Authority in preparing the changes and ask that give the changes your complete backing also.”

More Information:

The ISM is Ireland's longest established and only national car driver training organisation and is dedicated to the improvement of driver standards and road safety.  We are constantly looking for new ways to improve everyone's awareness of motoring issues and have dedicated resources to assist all media.  For more see "Media Relations" on www.ISM.ie

The author of this release is available for further comment or interview on 087 3257777