Drink-drive limit 'unfair'

BY SALLY KIDSON

Nelson students say it is unfair that drivers under 20 have been hit with a zero drink-drive limit.

Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology student president Rachel Boyack is unimpressed with the Government's drink-drive changes, announced yesterday, because under-20s were targeted while the Government has backed off toughening the limit for others.

Good evidence from Australia existed that lowering the drink-drive limit across the board had a positive impact, and Ms Boyack said while she supported a zero drink-drive limit for those under 20, she would have liked some stronger measures across the whole of society.

Cabinet yesterday kept the drink-driving limit for over 20-year-olds at 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The 80mg level is among the highest in the world.

The Government instead will pass a law giving police the power to compulsorily breath test anyone in a serious crash.

Safe and Sustainable Transport Association Nelson spokeswoman Margaret Parfitt said the organisation, which represented road safety co-ordinators across the country, was "bitterly disappointed" by the decision.

She said there was a lot of international research which showed huge social costs and lives could be saved by lowering the drink-drive limit.

New Zealand was "quite out of step" with a lot of other countries.

Mrs Parfitt also agreed with a zero limit for those under 20 but said the Government had not gone far enough.

The limit in most countries, including Australia, France, Germany, Italy and South Africa is 50mg.

Tasman police district road policing manager Inspector Hugh Flower said he could not comment as it was a matter for Police National Headquarters, however statistics out of Victoria, Australia, where the blood-alcohol limit had been lowered, showed good results.

A spokesman at Police National Headquarters said police would not comment.

Nelson MP Nick Smith said the decision was a consensus one by the Cabinet.

Dr Smith said 32,000 drivers a year were convicted for drink driving at the current levels and the data showed that most harm was caused by people over the limit. The Government had tightened penalties for drink drivers.

"We don't want to criminalise the average Nelsonian who has two to three wines at after-work drinks and is not a serious threat to road safety."

If crash data showed there was a substantial number of people in that 50 to 80mg range the Government would look at reducing the level.

He said he expected criticism of the decision, but if the Government had lowered the limit it would have also attracted flack.

Nelson Dial a Sober Driver owner Brendon Rasell said he was happy with the move as there was a real need to target recidivist drink drivers.

Mr Rasell said he was called by police to pick up people from checkpoints and they were the worst customers as they felt sorry for themselves and often said they were only going to have two drinks.

He didn't believe that lowering the adult blood-alcohol limit was fair as it would only penalise people who took the current laws seriously and didn't drink and drive when they were over the limit.

They would no longer be able to have one or two drinks after work and drive home.

He said 95 per cent of his customers were people who would call his service after they had had two glasses of wine and didn't want to take the risk of driving.

AA Nelson district chairman Gary Stocker said Cabinet's decision was what AA had been lobbying for so the result was a "huge success" for the organisation.

Mr Stocker said the AA had never been convinced police should be targeting drivers in the 50mg to 80mg range.

AA believed drivers with extremely high breath-alcohol readings and serious repeat offenders were the ones it was most concerned with.

The organisation was supportive of the use of interlocks, which is a mechanism similar to a breathalyser that won't allow a car to start if too much alcohol is detected on the driver's breath.

CABINET HAS AGREED ON LEGISLATION FOR:

A zero drink-drive limit for recidivist drink drivers (anyone on their second offence), which would apply for three years.

A zero drink-drive limit for drivers under 20 years of age.

Alcohol interlocks for repeat drink drivers.

The interlocks would be available for application by a judge to repeat offenders who have been disqualified for at least three months.

Cabinet also agreed to strengthen penalties for the following offences: Drink/drug driving causing death. Dangerous/reckless driving causing death – the maximum sentence doubled to up to 10 years in prison. Illegal street racing causing death. Failing to stop after a crash when someone is killed.

Cabinet has also asked for more information about the penalties for the most serious repeat drink-drive offenders.

- © Fairfax NZ News