The government has signalled that it plans to cut the drink driving limit to less than a pint of beer or a glass of wine.
Lord Adonis, the transport secretary, expects an official review of the law to recommend reducing the legal limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg.
He told The Times he would take this “very seriously” and added: “A strong case has been made to have a lower limit.”
The government believes the tougher law on alcohol would prevent up to 65 deaths a year and a further 230 serious injuries in car accidents linked to drink driving.
At present the 80mg limit allows a man of average build to drink 1½-2 pints of normal-strength beer or three small glasses of wine and remain within the law.
With a 50mg limit, the average man would be limited to just under a pint of beer or a large glass of wine and women to half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine.
The change could force some country pubs to close.
The Sunday Times, p1
