The issue of drink-drive has featured continuously in the press over the last quarter; Norway has lowered BAC levels to .02, bringing it in line with Sweden and Finland may follow suit. The US Senate passed a National BAC standard of 0.08 in July, denying Federal funds by 2004 to States that do not comply (although the measure has yet to be approved by the House of Representatives), New Zealand looks likely to reduce BAC limits to 50mg and the UK has toughened penalties for persistent offenders.

The UK, with a BAC limit of 80 mg, compared with a European average of 50mg, proudly boasts the best record in reducing drink-drive related offences in the world over the last twenty years. Since the Breathalyser was introduced in 1967, private car ownership in Britain has increased by 105% ( 27 million cars), yet drink-drive fatalities have fallen by 61% - implicating drink in 426 deaths out of 3,500 per annum. In fact alcohol is involved in just 4% of UK accidents today, having fallen from 8% in 1982. The UK ,with the exception of Sweden also claims the lowest road deaths per inhabitant in Europe.

Why such a contrast with France, for example, which has the worst drink-drive record in Europe, inspite of a BAC limit of 50mg and suffers 8000 road casualties per annum yet has a similar population and far less pressure on the roads?

The key, it seems, is a mix of effective law enforcement, public respect of the law and well funded hard hitting public campaigns by both the Government and drinks industry. The development of viable alternatives to driving such as taxi schemes and public transport are important as well as imaginative 'designated driver' schemes.The UK Government also recognises that half of convicted drink-drivers have BAC levels above 150 mg when the legal limit is 80 mg, hence enforcement measures introduced this summer have increased drink-drive rehabilitation schemes and introduced tougher penalties for 'hard-core' persistent offenders, as endorsed by the beverage alcohol industry.

For the first time, public programmes do not point the finger exclusively at drink-driving and have targeted tiredness and speed too. A recent MORI poll has shown that although the UK has the best record in the world for reducing drink-driving over the last 20 years, nearly 7 in 10 people still feel that drink driving is a major problem.Those surveyed were strongly in favour of tougher penalties for offenders rather than reduced BAC levels. In the light of the European draft recommendation regarding harmonising BAC limits at 50mg, expected to be available for Members consideration before Christmas, let us hope the UK looks to its impeccable record and maintains the status quo.