Is zero the right answer?
Ireland may be moving towards a zero-tolerance policy for drink driving, meaning that any alcohol present in a driver’s blood would classify them as over the limit. There have been 26 more deaths on the road this year than last and 40% of all fatal road accidents have been alcohol related.
In an interview with The Irish Times, Minister for Transport, Shane Ross, has said there is something very wrong with the increasing trend of young male drivers drinking and driving and he is calling for harsher penalties and a reduction in the current limit of 50mg of alcohol to 20mg. This means having one small drink would put a driver over the limit.
First offence drink drivers currently receive penalty points on their licence, Ross wants to amend this so that drink drivers are immediately disqualified from driving.
Ross is also planning to increase the penalty points for drivers using mobile phones from three points to six points.
The RSA’s recent campaign on the impact of drink-driving is heartbreaking. It tells the story of 4-year-old Ciarán who was killed by a drunk driver. It shows the ripple effect of road accidents and deaths. It is not only the family that suffer. Watch the video below.
Clip Via; RSA Ireland
The Minister for Transport is expecting opposition from TDs in rural areas to his plans for lower limits and bigger consequences. Is one small drink enough to impair your judgement or should Ireland keep the same legislation in place? What do you think?
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