Road Safety Professionals still concerned over government's drink-drive limit plans

The Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association (LARSOA) has welcomed the government's plans to crack down on speeding drivers, but has expressed major concerns over its apparent reluctance to tackle drink-drivers by reducing the limit.

A report by the BBC states that Ministers are still gathering evidence on whether the drink drive limit should be lowered - a response which LARSOA believes is hiding the fact that there is a reluctance in Whitehall to go through with the move, with a preference being stronger enforcement of the current limit.

Reducing the limit would bring the UK in line with the rest of Europe and research shows it would save 65 lives each year.

LARSOA backed the plans to reduce the limit when announced by Sir Liam Donaldson, the government's Chief Medical Advisor in July this year, and feels that this decision is putting the lives of thousands of road users at risk.

Alan Kennedy, Vice Chair of LARSOA, said on the consultation:

"We broadly welcome the majority of proposals set out in the consultation. Proposals that will improve the safety on the UK's roads can only be a good thing, but we are still extremely concerned over the continued reluctance we are seeing from government to reduce the drink drive limit."

Spokespeople from LARSOA are available for interview and further comment on this issue.

Please contact Peter Whelan on 07983 288388 or Chris Taylor/Kathryn Clapham on 01287 610404 for further

ABOUT LARSOA

LARSOA is a national road safety organisation representing road safety officers (RSOs) employed in local government across the UK.

LARSOA represents 185 of the 200 eligible local authorities across the UK, assisting RSOs to fulfil their statutory role to reduce the number and severity of road casualties through education, training and publicity programmes.

LARSOA publishes an up-to-date round-up of road safety news from across the UK on its website www.larsoa.org.uk .

LARSOA also aims to influence national debate - government policy and action together with public opinion. The association works to achieve national recognition for road safety issues, commissions research into behaviour which contributes to road collisions and develops national road safety campaigns.

The association assists in identifying achievable national targets to reduce the number of collisions on the country's roads.