27 Mar 2013

Blood alcohol limit decision due next year

11:19 pm on 27 March 2013

The Government will decide early next year whether drink driving limits should be reduced.

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse has announced the Government's safer journeys action plan for the next two years, which includes targeting dangerous intersections and old vehicles, as well as blood-alcohol limits.

He says if that study supports lowering limits for adult drivers, then Cabinet will seriously consider doing so.

Mr Woodhouse says if the blood-alcohol limit is reduced it could come down from 0.08 to 0.05.

He says such a reduction would mean the current limit of about five glasses of wine would be lowered to just over two glasses, although this would depend on other circumstances such as body weight and age

He says the aim of the safer journeys plan is reduce the number of deaths and injuries on New Zealand's roads.

The proposal to set different blood alcohol concentration limits for various classes of driver is drawing criticism.

Alcohol Healthwatch says drivers under 20 already have a zero blood alcohol limit, and further variation will confuse and make it difficult to communicate a consistent message to the public.

It says the Government is procrastinating and should lower the blood alcohol concentration for all drivers over 20.

Labour Party transport spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway says the different limits will be an unwieldy mess.

The road safety plan also includes getting rid of the country's ageing vehicle fleet, which the Motor Trade Association says will improve safety.

It will also identify the country's 100 worst intersections and find a solution for 30 of them.