A recent clampdown on drink driving in Scotland has resulted in 185 motorists being caught over the limit in just two weeks. This represents 1 in 40 (2.5%) of the people breathalysed, according to an article in The Scotsman.
Scotland has tougher drink driving laws than the rest of the UK, with the legal limit set at 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. This is broadly in line with many EU countries, but more strict than elsewhere in Britain, where the limit is set at 80 milligrams. As we revealed last month, the Police Federation are keen for this lower limit to be implemented across the whole of the UK.
The large number of people charged highlights how easy it is to fall foul of the law with the lower limit in place. A similar campaign last year found 1 in 55 drivers over the limit, so it seems likely that people are being caught out by the lower limit, implemented last December.
As the report states, the 50mg limit can mean that just one drink is sufficient to cause an individual to fail a breath test. The local police are promising that there will be plenty more checks and discouraging people from drinking anything at all before getting behind the wheel.
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