Scotland marks 10th anniversary of drink drive law change

The Scottish limit was lowered on December 5, 2014 from 80mg of alcohol in 100mL of blood to 50mg.

According to a new poll of 1,000 Scots by breathalyser firm AlcoSense, 41% of motorists no longer drink alcohol when they know they will be driving later the same day or the following morning – with a further 29% saying they’ve reduced consumption since the limit change.

The most popular way to avoid breaking the stricter law is to arrange alternative transport home after a night’s drinking – 46% now either walk, take a taxi or rely on a designated alcohol-free driver.

Over a third (35%) mention they now drink at home more, so they don’t have to worry about driving.

“Based on these findings, the number of drivers on Scottish roads with alcohol in their system has significantly reduced”, comments Hunter Abbott, MD of AlcoSense Laboratories.

“The risk of being in a fatal accident increases exponentially as blood alcohol levels rise – even if you are below the legal limit”.

Interestingly, four in ten Scots (40%) claimed that the lowering of the drink drive limit has resulted in them consuming less alcohol generally.

Three quarters (75%) were in favour of the change when it was introduced and virtually all of them (97%) continue to support it based on their experience of the past ten years.

“Whilst the number of drink drive accidents has been declining steadily over the past two decades, this seems to have bottomed out and collisions are rising again”, adds Hunter Abbott.

“Our survey provides a clue as to why this is happening, despite most Scots showing a far more responsible attitude towards drinking and driving.

“Four in ten motorists (41%) admitted to consuming more alcohol whilst Scotland was in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Worryingly, 15% say their drinking habits have remained at the same level since.

“So it seems that a stubborn hard core may account for the increase in accidents”.

Total drink drive casualties in Scotland were up nearly 50% in 2022, with 310 people injured compared with 210 the previous year.

Research shows that with just 10mg of alcohol in your blood (one fifth of the Scottish limit) you are 37% more likely to be involved in a fatal crash.

Nearly a third of respondents in the AlcoSense poll (31%) considered the Scottish limit should remain as it is, but over a quarter (27%) thought it should be reduced to zero – as in countries such as Hungary, Russia and the Czech Republic.

A further 18% reckoned the limit should be lowered to 20mg of alcohol, which is the recommendation of the European Transport Safety Council and applies in Norway, Poland and Sweden.