Ayrshire Sees 15% Decrease In Drink Driving Offences
Ayrshire has recorded a 15% reduction in the number of drink driving offences since the introduction of the lower limit in Scotland.
Figures obtained by AlcoSense Personal Breathalysers show that between December 2014 and August 2015, all but one area in Scotland reported a reduction in drink driving offences - Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.
Dumfries & Galloway recorded the highest with a 56.4% reduction.
The legal alcohol limit in Scotland was reduced from 80mg to 50mg in every 100ml of blood.
Hunter Abbott, managing director of AlcoSense Personal Breathalysers comments: “The legislative change has clearly had an impact in Scotland, with a significantly greater reduction in offences than elsewhere in the UK. People have become increasingly aware of the dangers associated with drink driving.
“Far fewer people are taking the risk of even just having one drink if they have to drive the same night. However, the lower limit has dramatically increased the risk of unintentionally drink driving the morning after, as it now takes two to three hours longer to get below the limit now than it did a year ago*.
“18.5% of drink driving accidents happen the morning after, many of them unintentional drink driving. You can’t estimate when the alcohol has cleared your system from the night before as everybody processes alcohol slightly differently. The only way to be sure you are clear the morning - and sometimes even afternoon - after is to use a breathalyser.”