Here we go again. Yet another plea from Inspector Matt Butler of the Dorset Police’s Traffic Unit warning people not to drink and drive.
And saying that there are still some people who ‘choose to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol’. But they can. Any driver is legally allowed to consume alcohol and then drive in the UK. No ifs no buts. Trouble is, of course, some people choose to drink more than the legal maximum of alcohol before they get behind a wheel and drive. That is the problem. The so-called summer drink-drive campaigns may well catch a few of those who flout the law but it does not solve the basic problem – that is it currently legal to drink and drive. And no amount of drink and drive campaigns is going to change that.
The only way it might be stopped, is to bring in a legal zero limit on consuming alcohol if you intend to drive any vehicle on a public highway.
But it probably won’t happen, because of a very powerful and very influential drinks lobby. Yes, you can warn people. But as long as the law regarding consuming alcohol whilst driving stays as it is, many people will choose to drink and drive. Again, because they can.
Andrew Martin Abbotsbury Road Weymouth
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