East Antrim MLA Alastair Ross has commented on findings that there still exists an element of confusion and ignorance about the rules of the road. Autoline Insurance Group carried out a survey on 800 motorists from across Northern Ireland and they outlined that the majority of motorists did not know what the current drink-driving limit is. Mr Ross said,
“The fact that a survey has found that 73% of motorists failed to know what the legal drink-driving limit is further strengthens the message that ‘Not A Drop’ is the only drink drive message that should be adopted by drivers. Whilst for practical reasons the legal limit should be reduced to 50 or 20mg of alcohol in 100mls of blood, motorists should not be tempted to risk drink-driving even if they think they are below what is legally allowed.
Drinking absolutely no alcohol before getting into the car is the only safe way to be sure that you are not over the limit. Even one drink can dramatically impair the ability to drive.
This all comes down to personal responsibility. Particularly in the run up to Christmas individuals must take the steps to be responsible by organising taxis or designate drivers who will not drink alcoholic beverages during a night out. This will not only protect the individuals life, but also the lives of other road users.
Too many people have been killed on our roads and we must do all that we can to promote road safety; ignorance is not an excuse for making careless decisions that could ultimately cost lives.”
