Test for alcohol 'at all crashes'

BY COLIN ESPINER

Drivers could be forced to have compulsory screening for alcohol if they are involved in a car accident.

Officials have suggested the Government consider requiring all drivers involved in crashes to be subject to a compulsory breath or blood alcohol test.

The move follows an admission by Transport Minister Steven Joyce that there is insufficient research on whether drivers with a blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, of between 0.05 grams per 100 millilitres of blood and the current limit of 0.08g are involved in serious accidents.

The Government is weighing lowering the BAC limit to 0.05 but Mr Joyce is wary of public opinion. He said this week that he was leaning towards cutting the limit but the decision was "pretty finely balanced".

Yesterday, he said a stopgap option could be to delay a decision on lowering the limit until further research had been done.

Under that proposal, police would be required to take a breath or blood sample from all drivers involved in accidents. At present the decision is at the discretion of those attending an accident. Drivers would be required to undergo either an evidential breath or alcohol test.

If they were below the current legal limit but above the proposed lower limit, their details would be recorded but the results would be anonymous and for research purposes only.

The proposal would require a law change, since currently only those suspected of being over the 0.08 BAC limit can be required to provide a blood sample. If they refuse, they can be charged with an offence.

Officials say research into adult driving impairment with a BAC of between 0.05 and 0.08 is scarce in New Zealand, because police are not currently required to breath-test drivers involved in accidents where they believe alcohol is a factor.

Statistics show that between 2004 and 2008, 18,729 drivers were involved in fatal or serious injury crashes. A BAC was recorded in 2063 of the cases.

Of the 2063, only 152 drivers had a BAC of between 0.05 and 0.08, while 778 drivers had a reading below 0.05. A further 1137 had readings above the current legal limit.

Officials say the reason more complete records are not available is because taking alcohol readings is not a high priority at a crash site. Fluid given to injured drivers also compromises the accuracy of tests, and in some cases there is a big time lapse between an accident and a request for a blood sample in hospital.

They estimate, however, that there have been about seven deaths in four years caused by drivers with a BAC of between 0.05 and 0.08, along with 45 serious injuries and 102 minor injuries. That would equate to an annual cost of $56.5 million.

A spokeswoman for Mr Joyce said that if police attended an accident where alcohol appeared to be a factor, they would be required to breath test the drivers – or to order a blood test if the driver was not able to give a breath sample.

If the proposal proceeded, testing would need to be compulsory to ensure the reliability of data.

"Breath would be preferable to blood, as it is cheaper and easier to take, however, often after a crash this is not possible, so blood could be required."

Motoring writer and Dog and Lemon Guide author Clive Matthew-Wilson said the idea had merit. "It's common sense. There's no downside."