THE PRESS MONDAY, MARCH 6, 1978. Breath tests and road accidents

Press, 6 March 1978, Page 16

THE PRESS MONDAY, MARCH 6, 1978. Breath tests and road accidents

Prudently, the Government caucus has asked for more specific proposals for a research programme on random testing of drivers for blood-alcohol The caucus request will be passed on to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Road Safety, which may be expected to take a more objective view of random testing than some of those who have aired their views in public recently.

The committee might weD start its task by asking what contribution alcohol makes to the road toll. A detailed examination of the injury accidents over the Christmas holiday period showed four main causes* the youth of some of the drivers: excessive speed having regard to conditions: failure to wear efficient seat-belts: and alcohol. The list suggests that alcohol was not the only —perhaps not even the major—contributor to the road toll. As a preliminary thesis, the committee’s researchers might examine the view that young drivers in old cars tend to drive too fast when they have had only a few drinks.

Perusal of the reports of Magistrates’ Court proceedings shows that many drivers venture on the roads having taken far too much liquor to be able to respond effectively to any

emergency. Significantly, many of those charged with driving while their bloodalcohol levels are well above the 100milligram limit have caused no injury to themselves or anyone else. Yet evidence from other quarters, such as inquests and reports from hospital staff who have to cope with injured victims of road accidents, suggests that many of the really dangerous drivers on the roads are not drunk. Neither random testing nor any other deterrent aimed at those who exceed the present legal maximum blood-alcohol content will affect those who are a menace on the roads before they have reached that maximum

Researchers might well examine other means to reduce the toll on the roads. Perhaps a reduction in the present legal maximum blood-alcohol content—allowing the courts more discretion in the penalties attached to con viction—would have the desired effect Many magistrates already make allowance, when sentencing motorists for dangerous driving, for the accused’s blood-alcohol level. Frequent reminders from the Bench that even a small amount of alcohol, far from mitigating the offence, probably contributed to the dangerous driving, might help to drive the point home.