For anyone heading to Italy, please note that they have implemented a new limit for blood alcohol concentration for regular drivers/riders which is 0.5 g/l (0.05% BAC) which is lower than our 0.08%. I've been informed that in some areas police are targeting those with foreign licence plates, and younger drivers.
I agree, takes away the I can drink 20 pints and still drive mob. Mate of mine drank heavily and was stopped one night he'd been on a good session but passed the breath test, he drank more and still drove there after.
Used to live in a Country that had a .03 limit, effectively zero, with severe penalties (jail), furthermore, if the driver was found over the limit then any adult passenger in the car was also prosecuted for allowing said driver to drive. When this was introduced it virtually eliminated drink driving. They did benefit from an astonishing public transport system though, with no passenger alcohol limit….
Further to Todders warning, Italy and France are about the only countries where I see routine roadside checks taking place. So be careful how much you drink the night before an early start. I've never seen a foreign vehicle stopped in Italy though, it seemed the more obvious targets were being pulled. Upt.
Interestingly, drink driving deaths are less than 17% of the total fatalities on the UK roads. Makes you wonder if the causes of the other 83% should be a more important thing to address? I don't drink at all having retired from the sport an Olympic river of beer drinking champion, more than maybe 18 years ago, so I've no personal wish to allow drinking and driving.
What percentage is drug driving, do you know? Strikes me as a straightforward zero (or as close as makes no difference) removes any ambiguity and would cost nothing to implement. No brainer as far as I can see.
I have a very occasional drink maximum of 1 pint but I only drink at home, I used to drink to a reasonable standard but stopped in my mid 30’s those I know who still drink heavily don’t look well on it or are dead. Looks like speeding claims the most lives, yet we complain about the authorities clamping down on speeding. Drug driving is up https://www.gov.uk/government/stati...-driving-statistics-initial-feasibility-study Local to me there have been 2 deadly car crashes involving young drivers recently, 3 in a car hitting tree and another 3 in a car hitting tree. Youngest was a 17 year old……..and at my partners school quite a few over the last 25 years. I live in a semi rural location so possibly they’re less policed than say a city, maybe the reduction in Police numbers has had an effect on these figures. When I was much younger you’d see more Police cars out and about than seems the case now, unless they’re more in unmarked cars these days.
Drug drivers account for 8% of UK road fatalities. Around 70% of the deaths were the vehicle driver, so less bad... https://www.gov.uk/government/stati...alities-in-great-britain-data-to-2021-summary Stopping driving whilst impaired would be simple if everyone who failed a mandatory blood, breath and urine test was jailed for 3 months first offence, no exceptions. But other factors kill & harm far more, so it would be arguably unreasonable.
19.6%, but IMO they should be just lumped together under a driving under the influence? In 2023, 19.6% of fatal collisions were assigned at least one drink or drugs related factor. That's pretty much 20% of road deaths caused by drink or drugs, with a significant number occurring in December – two facts which are completely unacceptable and which make Op Limit so important. There’s a zero for drugs alcohol should be the same IMO.
Sad to hear. But was it impetuous youth or speed? I look back on my under 50 years with fond memories and smile. But I regularly took incredible risks. At seventeen I often rode my bikes like a madman.
Don’t they go hand in hand I know the majority of my bad driving decisions have been ‘at speed’. The problem is with younger drivers they’ll often have their car loaded with mates. It’s why we had our daughter pass her test ASAP so she was not ever in a car with a Male teenage/driver. If she’s out she drives and isn’t driven. I’ll hazard the first three fatalities were at speed going over a bridge straight into a big old tree, there were no marks in the road from braking. I’ll hazard having frequently traveled that road the car was at 70-80 mph and lifted off the bridge or the driver just didn’t react at all. The second I know the road but not where the accident was on it, but it’s fairly narrow.
Generally the roads and vehicles are much much safer today than last century when most of us were kids. I’m not one to crack down on the kids. They have a tough enough time as it is. But drink and drugs while driving is plain stoopid.
This is true, but with all the safety features in modern cars maybe younger drivers push on a bit more than you did in your Austin Maxi? I kinda know I do on my loaded with tech bikes more so than my older analogue bikes. Not so much in my Vito…..
I have started drinking zero alcohol beer. It is not quite where I would like it to be, but very tolerable and hopefully less risky all round.
I expect you are correct in your assumptions. But is it not the speed, but the mentality of -some- younger people to drive in such a reckless way? Many have no conception of the risk, nor the aftermath for themselves & others as they simply don't consider it. I certainly didn't... This is totally borne out by the number of road accidents involving them. I imagine its not just accidents in driving either; skiing in insane places, kayaking wild water, hiking up mountains in winter, sailing offshore and jumping of Doodle Door immediately spring to mind.
Y You must live very close to me. That's 5 minutes from my house. And i never understand why friends and relatives want to adorn these spots with flowers, flags and other assorted stuff on a regular basis. The last way i would want to remenber anyone is where they died.
