Features
Calls for zero drink-driving limit
Steve Gray 5th November 2009
QUEENSLAND's police commissioner has called for a nationwide discussion about lowering the allowable drink-driving limit to zero.
Commissioner Bob Atkinson on Thursday said he backed a zero blood alcohol limit for Queensland drivers in the face of "the slaughter and wholesale injury" of the road toll.
At November 1, Queensland's road toll stood at 292, compared to 276 at the same time in 2008.
Mr Atkinson said a quarter of road deaths were attributable to alcohol.
He urged that the debate over allowable alcohol limits be a national one.
"There has been a trend in recent years for road rules and laws to be national, so that there is consistency across Australia," he told reporters in Brisbane.
"I would have thought this could be ... a national debate and discussion."
He said Queensland already has a zero blood alcohol limit for truck drivers, commercial vehicles and "P" plate drivers under age 25.
Mr Atkinson said significant research will be required before a zero limit is introduced by the government.
"We would have to demonstrate to the Queensland community that if we were to reduce the level to zero that there would be a significant benefit for the community from increased road safety," he said.
In 2007/08, 19,500 drivers in Queensland were caught for a first drink driving offence, 6,338 for a second offence and 4,055 for their third drink driving offence.
Queensland maintained an offence of "drunk driving", which involved a physical test of drivers suspected of being drunk, until 1968.
Then the breathalyser was introduced with a limit of 0.1 blood alcohol concentration (BAC).
It was lowered to 0.08 BAC in 1974 and to 0.05 BAC in 1982.
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Recent comments on this article
This idea is so stupid it doesnt even warrant a decent reply.
So if you can't have one drink with your dinner when out meeting friends , it becomes really pointless going to a local hotel venue. The hotels will be the ones losing out. Typical Australian government wants to punish the majority because some people want to drink drive , and will drink drive anyway regardless of what law you bring in.
I understand that point 0.05 was introduced as that was the level at which a driver is twice as likely to have an accident than if they were driving sober.
Surely then it stands to reason that at point 0.04, a driver is almost twice as likely to have an accident than if they were driving sober.
That's okay is it??
As a taxi driver, I must have a point 0.00 reading when I drive... there is a good reason for driving sober and it's not that difficult to achieve.
The sooner all drivers are required to be completely sober before they get behind the wheel the better!
what good will that do when the magistrate lets a repeat (19 Times) re offender off with a 2 month sentance in south east queensland?
Pretty soon the government will ban people from leaving their homes incase they have an accident. Get a grip, Australia is fast becoming the most over ruled country in the world!
As a wife of a truck driver who is not allowed to have any alcohol i dont think its such a bad idea..Even though he is in charge of a heavy vehicle hes still in charge of a vehicle.. Everyone handles alcohol differently and to save someones life by doing this is a breath of fresh air. It is not the only thing they should look at, i also believe that their should be a harsh sentence for first time offenders to make them realise they will never do it again.