This means motorists who consume just one drink are at risk of losing their driving license.
Following the new legislation, Scotland’s blood alcohol limit has been reduced from 80 milligrams per 100 millilitres to 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood. So anyone found drink driving in Scotland could be banned for at least a year and face up to six months in jail with a criminal record lasting for 20 years.
Motorists in England warned as Scotland lowers drink-drive limit http://t.co/fgT1BLmNjE pic.twitter.com/nVDihXVvAU"
— NANA AKUA OBRA (@NANAAKUAOBRA) February 9, 2015
This, according to the Scottish Licensed Trade Association is having a catastrophic effect on the pub industry, which has been in dramatic decline since the introduction of the smoking ban in 2006. Paul Waterson, chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, says:
“Since 2006, we’ve lost between two and three pubs every week – and with that people’s livelihoods have been lost too."
‘Draconian Drink Drive Penalties’
“Almost immediately at the beginning of December the new limit was having a dramatic effect and others said it was having a catastrophic effect on business”, says Waterson. “Nobody is condoning drinking and driving but the penalties are draconian”.
Bar sales of alcohol in Scotland dropped by a third on average in wake of new drink-drive laws, says survey http://t.co/49mm5os6yA
— Martin Williams (@Martin1Williams) February 13, 2015
Waterson says the measures are stopping people from going to pubs.
“They’re changing their drinking habits, they’re not having a drink after a round of golf – clubs are reporting a 70 percent drop in trade — and people no longer go to the pub for a pint after work. It’s just unfair. We’ve supported measures to stop people from drink driving but there needs to be a fairer penalty system."
“If we want a pub business in our country we have to look at how to mitigate this. The Scottish Government has to help in any way they can. Pubs are the social centres of the community, they’re a selling point for Scottish tourism – but people don’t get drunk anymore."
New drink-drive limit is damaging Scotland’s pub trade (http://t.co/JopuvoMhJq) http://t.co/0cKbNG2odf pic.twitter.com/nMQKNaxVjz
— 1001portails UK (@1001ptsUK) February 13, 2015
When the announcement was made by the Scottish government, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “I have said before that I am determined we do everything we can to make our roads safer and save lives.”
“Drink driving shatters families and communities and we must take action to reduce the risk on our roads”, MacAskill stated.
Meanwhile Mr. Waterson, chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, is calling for a ‘fairer’ sentence of penalty points rather than a driving ban and a 20-year criminal record for drivers caught with between 50mg and 80mg of alcohol in their system.
