On The Road

Do you know your limit?

7/10/2011 Office of Road Safety

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When it comes to enjoying the ride, alcohol and cars just don’t mix. Unfortunately, a new survey shows many drivers don’t seem to know when enough is enough.

A new RAC survey has revealed the shocking statistic that one in four drivers don’t know the legal blood alcohol level for driving. While new harsher penalties for drink driving have come into force this month, the survey showed 26% of motorists did not know that penalties kick in for blood alcohol content levels of 0.05 and above.

One in ten drivers nominated 0.08, while a further one in ten responded “don’t know” to the question “What do you think the current BAC (blood alcohol concentration) limit is for drivers with a full license?”

One in three drivers believed that there was no penalty for driving with a BAC between 0.05 and 0.08. (There is a $250 fine and a demerit point penalty for offences between 0.05 and 0.08.)

Despite these findings, 93 per cent rated “the number of people who drink and drive” as an important issue which needs to be addressed urgently – the highest response for any single issue.

RAC Head of Advocacy Matt Brown said the results are a major concern given that alcohol is a significant causal factor in one in three fatal or serious accidents.“The findings reinforce our long-held concern that the dangers of driving after drinking are still not taken seriously enough in the broader community,” he says.

“We need to get to a situation where drink driving is completely socially unacceptable. Motorists need to understand that even low levels of alcohol can impair their driving skills and reaction times.”

If you’re planning to have a few drinks or are heading out on the town with friends, make sure you plan ahead for how you are getting home safely. Take turns in being a designated driver or organise public transport or a taxi home.