The UK Government looks increasingly likely to try to lower the legal limit for drinking alcohol before driving in the country.

Transport secretary Lord Adonis said in a televised interview on the BBC yesterday (14 March) that the Government aims to improve its record on road accidents related to drink driving.

He said that ministers will “take seriously” an upcoming report on the legal alcohol limit for drivers.
 
Drink driving was involved in 430 road deaths in 2008, according to Government figures.

Late last year, Lord Adonis commissioned a report to examine possible changes to the drink-driving law. Aside from lowering the current limit, one option on the table is to have two limits, with a lesser penalty for breach of the lower limit.

The current UK limit is 0.8 milligrams (mg) per millilitre, which compares to a 0.5mg limit in many EU countries.
 
just-drinks understands that drinks industry trade bodies would be unlikely to seriously contest a Government plan to lower the limit in the UK. 

However, the main UK opposition party, the Conservative Party, has declared itself against changing the limit. A General Election is expected in the UK in May, with latest polls showing the Conservatives jus ahead of Labour.

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