Why in this day and age have you not simply done away with the drink drive limit?

[HoneyDragon]

And just simply made it no booze no driving?

If they wanted absolute fairness they could have a discretionary much lower limit (ie low enough that it would not be felt to impair your driving) deemed fineable/point on your license, rather than a ban in cases where people GENUINELY thought they were ok the following day and are involved in a spot check?

There is a limit and below that it has been tested that you reactions are o.k.
If you said no alcohol it would rule out the tiny bits in food stuff..
And it would put an end give my drinking at all hence the limit.
If are concerned I know Aldi sell a breathalyser...
Or fit cars with a breathalyser linked to the ignition

Cough medicine doesn't work so I never take it. I took Benylin as a child and it gave me hallucinations so probably best to avoid that anyway.

I have Googled but there's not much info, except for some US brands I have never heard of.

Scotland must be managing all this ok.

If what we’re actually saying is “no detectable amount” of alcohol then yes I am probably actually on board with that, assuming tests can’t detect amounts like I mentioned. I was taking zero to mean literally zero.

I got breathalysed once. A lorry crashed into me and I ended up on a traffic island.
The police saw me driving off the island (but missed the actual incident ) and pulled me over. I hadn't had anything to drink for days before and it was 8.30am but I was still relieved when it registered nothing.

I thought the breathalysers had to be designed to allow a certain system amount anyway? As opposed to impairment amount? (Or I probably misunderstood )

I’m so glad that the limit is much lower here. I don’t know why anyone thinks it’s ok to drive after ‘one or two’ which is basically what the old laws ‘allowed’. Personally I think it’s very irresponsible to drink after one or two anyway but it seems many people don’t share that view.

I'm in Scotland - our limits are set that if eg you were diabetic, on certain meds etc the low limits we have wouldn't put you over in these circs.

My town has seen a decrese in the number of drink drivers since this was put in place

We can't have a zero limit then make exceptions for prescriptions - it's either dangerous or it isn't.

I know a fair few people who will have 'just the one' or 'a small glass' when we go to the pub. I just couldn't do it.

I thought the breathalysers had to be designed to allow a certain system amount anyway?

Breathalysers are just an indication - so probably set a bit low. Evidence for a court has to come from a blood sample.

So it's possible to read positive on a breathalyser, but be OK by blood test.

I got breathalysed on one of these random checks once.
The police were obviously informing their mates down the road who had left the pub. I'd been part of a party of 50 there for a meal.

When asked when I'd last had a drink o could honestly answer "2012"

I think 0 is too low, because it will catch out odd, unexpected things.
But a lower limit - most of Europe seem to have gone with 50mg/100ml blood. Nordics have gone for 20mg/100ml. Lots of places have even lower limits for those who passed their test recently - seems sensible. The UK seems to have one of the highest limits about.
I dont drink if I'm driving that day. I generally (now) don't drink enough that I would be over the next morning - 2 glasses of wine tops, and 6-8 hrs sleep.

I'm in Scotland. I don't drink at all now if I'm driving, whereas before the law changed, I might have had one glass. I also have disposable breathalysers in the house, and if I'm in any doubt about the day after, I check.

A low amount is sensible. If you're of a slight build it can take forever for alcohol to leave your system yet you can be perfectly sober the next day.

I was learning in Germany and there is a zero limit on new drivers for 2 years after passing, which is fair enough because new drivers + poor reactions is dangerous, but it was such a massive pain to have to calculate every time I drank anything if I'd be driving at any point in the next day (e.g. for a lesson) when I had to stop.

We can't have a zero limit then make exceptions for prescriptions - it's either dangerous or it isn't.

Thanks for saying what I wanted to with fewer words .

You could apply the same thinking to speed limits.

If all limits were reduced by 10mph, more lives would be saved than are lost to drink-driving each year.

So why not push for that instead (or as well)?

But why are you so scared of people having a drink or two then driving? What do you think happens to their driving skills if their blood alcohol is below the legal limit?

I can tell you with absolute certainty that I am still a very safe driver if I have a glass of wine with dinner. I wouldn't drive if I thought otherwise, and I am still well under the legal limit.

If the problem is that you think that some people are too stupid to understand that they can only have a small amount to drink, then do you think the same people will change their behaviour is the limit is 0? They are choosing to drink drive now, what would change if the limit was lower? Serious question.

Some people are just awful drivers, through lack of skill or overconfidence, some people drive when they are clearly not safe whether through tiredness or illness. Should we ban all parents with a baby under 6 weeks from driving? Because tiredness has the same affect on driving safety as drinking.

I'm in Scotland and I like it - no just having one drink and then worrying about whether it'll be OK. Just don't drink and drive at all. Alcohol affects people in different ways and I know I have a low tolerance.

Also, the options for non-alcoholic drinks are getting so much better, and this encourages me to try them, and to drink less generally.

If all limits were reduced by 10mph, more lives would be saved than are lost to drink-driving each year.

Well round these parts, there is a spurge of signs and paint for 20mph zones. Everywhere.

I agree and I think it would remove the grey area in people's thinking - lots of people do think they're safe to drive with just the one (or just the two or three...).

I had a boyfriend who used to smoke weed and drive though, so I don't think it would work for everyone.

It also helps remove the social pressure to have 'just the one'.

So many things can show on a breathaliser such as medicines and mouthwash.

Lots of things contain alcohol eg ripe fruit, and our bodies also produce a small amount.

A limit that stops people drinking and driving but does not punish people for eating a ripe mango is surely the ideal.

We can't have a zero limit then make exceptions for prescriptions - it's either dangerous or it isn't.

I do agree with this, however, there are exemptions for people breaking the speed limit, ergo it's dangerous to break the limit but permissible in specific circumstances (emergency services, national security, training for high speed etc).

In other cases, it's still an offence, but you may escape penalties / points under special circumstances (fleeing an assailant, life and death situations etc).

So, whilst I agree, it would still be possible to create a law that incorporated clauses for medication.