Comment given on drink-sriving study: "
However, research also suggests other factors may be important.
In 2014 the limit in Scotland was reduced to 50mg/100ml, but when experts investigated the impact of the shift, they found no significant drop in road traffic accidents, even when looking at accidents known to have involved alcohol.
“We don’t find an impact on drink-driving, on accidents, fatal accidents, serious or slight accidents,” said Dr Jonathan James of the University of Bath, who co-authored the 2021 study.
James added the team looked at myriad factors, including the time of day, availability of public transport and whether the setting was urban or rural, but still found no effect.
That, the team suggest, was down to two factors: the reduction in the drink-drive limit was not associated with a rise in alternative transport options, and there was no increase in enforcement, such as police numbers or breath testing.
“If you look at the international evidence, it’s very much that where the change in the law has worked, it’s either enforced or whether there’s been a change in the enforcement alongside,” said James.
However, James said he supported the BMA’s call. “It could well be the case that if you change the law in England, if you then also enforce or have more resources to enforce the law, that could lead to a reduction in road traffic collisions and alcohol-related road traffic collisions in particular,” he said."