The British Medical Association (BMA) will campaign to lower the legal blood alcohol limit for drink driving in the UK, members have decided.
At the organisation’s annual representative meeting in Liverpool, a motion was brought by the BMA’s North West Regional Council with a call to campaign to bring down the limit to the average of European nations.
The move was passed by members, attending both in person and remotely.
At the moment, the legal limit for driving after consuming alcohol in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, or 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
Our campaign says it needs to recognise we need more service. That requires more funding, more training, more professionals, more experts, more specialists
Dr Simon Minkoff
The limit is among the highest in Europe.
In Scotland, the limit was brought down to 50 milligrams of alcohol in every 100 millilitres of blood in 2014.
As part of the campaign, the BMA will also aim to educate the public on the risks of drug-driving and improve the provision of drug and alcohol services in the community.
Speaking in favour of the motion, Dr Simon Minkoff said: “We need society to understand impairment caused by various medications and other substances, and that we choose to change our ideas and the accepted norms.”
He added that the funding for current drug and alcohol services is “woeful” and leaves communities “unable to deliver a meaningful service”.
He said: “Our campaign says it needs to recognise we need more service. That requires more funding, more training, more professionals, more experts, more specialists.”
The BMA will also work to remind doctors of current professional guidelines relating to driving.
“We need to commission fully-funded, fit-for-purpose, drug and alcohol services across the UK.”