Committee backing Point Zero Five plan

The Southland Regional Transport Committee yesterday unanimously voted to support the Point Zero Five campaign, a proposal to reduce blood-alcohol levels for drivers.

In a presentation to the committee Southern District Road Policing manager Andrew Burns said new consideration needed to be taken to adjust the levels in the interests of road safety.

The suggested reduction is to lower the level from 80mg to 50mg alcohol per 100ml of blood or a blood alcohol content of 0.05.

The proposal is also lobbying for a zero limit for under 20-year-olds.

The levels had not changed since 1978, Mr Burns said.

In 2006 alcohol was a factor in 99 road deaths and 409 serious injuries and $725 million was spent on alcohol related incidents, he said.

"The plan is to replicate the Australian standard."

In Australia it was found that with a lower limit the number of grossly intoxicated people caught also reduced, Mr Burns said.

"If you look at the countries with the limit at 0.05, they are the countries we should aspire to be like."

Research had shown drivers' skill were impaired with as little as 20mg of alcohol in their blood, he said.

Committee member Geoff Piercy said the proposal should go further, with more punitive penalties for drink drivers, like "labour camps in Sweden" which were used as a deterrent.

"I don't think we can do that here, but the courts have certainly upped the ante and are taking a stand against drink drivers," Mr Burns said.

The Point Zero Five group is made up of the police, ACC, public health professionals, road safety co-ordinators, injury prevention consultants and community health promoters.

The campaign has also been supported by the Canterbury Regional Transport Committee, the Dunedin, Auckland, North Shore and Waitakere city councils and the Rodney, Papakura, Franklin and Waimakariri district councils.

- © Fairfax NZ News