New law makes driving on one drink illegal

A proposal to change drink-driving laws could see drivers being over the alcohol limit after a single drink.

Plans being considered to lower the alcohol level above which you cannot legally drive have gained the support of road safety minister Dr Stephen Ladyman.

Should the proposals become law, it would bring the legal driving limit down from 80 mg per 100 ml of blood to 50 mg, in line with other European countries.

The plans are set to be detailed in a consultation paper to be published later this year.

Dr Ladyman asserted: "I think it will happen. The consultation will include lowering the limit. It depends on how quickly we get enforcement at 80 mg.

"If you go to 50 mg before you have effective enforcement at 80 mg, people will just ignore the 50 mg level."

Meanwhile, Sir Willie Rae, chief constable of Strathclyde and one of Scotland’s most senior officers, has criticised cheap drink promotions, citing them as partly culpable for a marked increase in violent domestic crimes, the Herald has reported.