Reduction of the drink-drive limit is urged

A lowering of the legal alcohol limit for drivers is expected to be recommended in a Whitehall-commissioned report today.

The study, from Sir Peter North, will also propose changes to existing drink-drive and drug-drive procedures.

It is thought that Sir Peter will recommend the existing drink-drive limit of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood be reduced to 50mg.

This will put the UK in line with most of Europe. However, it is believed that the new Government is wary of changing the limit.

Sir Peter was asked by former Labour transport secretary Lord Adonis to examine possible changes to the drink- and drug-driving legislative regime.

His report went to new Transport Secretary Philip Hammond last month and is being made public later today.

It is believed that Sir Peter will also recommend:

:: Random breath testing;

:: The removal of the right for drivers to demand a second breathalyser test at the police station;

:: Novice drivers having an alcohol limit of just 20mg;

:: A new offence of driving with an illegal substance in the bloodstream at levels deemed impairing.

It is already illegal to drive while impaired by a drug but a new offence might make it illegal to drive with named drugs in the system at specified levels.

For both drink and drugs, the report has considered the likely impacts of any changes on driver behaviour, and the practical steps needed to support introduction of any new or revised offence.

Earlier this year, Lord Adonis was quoted as saying he believed Sir Peter would recommend a change in the drink-drive law.

The then shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers was quoted as saying that she was not convinced a change would be justified.

Earlier this month the Department for Transport said: "We need to tackle drink-driving in the most effective way possible to protect law-abiding motorists.

"We are considering Sir Peter's report carefully and will respond in due course."

Hard-hitting Government anti drink-drive campaigns and increasing police crackdowns on offenders has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of deaths caused by alcohol on the roads over the last three decades.

In 1979, drive-drive related fatalities were as high as 1,640 and the annual figure was still over the 1,000 mark in 1985.

But by 1998, the annual death toll was as low as 460. It did start rising again the first part of the last decade. But in 2007 - the most recent year for which full figures are available - the death toll was down to 410, while provisional figures for 2008 give a figure of 430.