is the lower limit working? chief superintendent iain murray head of road policing
TRANSCRIPT
Is the Lower Limit Working?
Chief Superintendent Iain MurrayHead of Road Policing
Today
• The history of the change in Scotland
• The challenges we faced
• The impact on Scotland
History
YearsCasualties
Killed Serious Slight Total
2004-08 Ave 30 170 790 990
2008-12 Ave 20 130 630 780
2012 10 100 470 580
North Review
• ‘Strong evidence to suggest that lowering the legal BAC does help to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries at all BAC levels.’
• ‘There is sufficiently strong evidence to indicate that lowering the BAC limit changes the behaviour of drivers at all BAC levels.’
Blood Alcohol Levels
• BAC of between 20mg and 50mg – 3 times greater risk of dying in a vehicle crash
• BAC of between 50mg and 80mg – 6 times greater risk of dying in a vehicle crash
• BAC of between 80mg and 100mg – 11 times greater risk of dying in a vehicle crash
Legal Limit
• Existed since 1967
• 50 years of ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’
• Reducing the limit in Scotland – ‘Save between 3 and 17 deaths a year’ (North)
Costs per Casualty
• Fatal Collision - £1,742,988
• Serious Collision - £195,863
• Slight - £15,009
• Total Cost - £44,070,410
Challenges - Timeline
• 2007 - Discussions in Scottish Parliament
• 2008 - Discussions with UK Government
• 2012 - The Scotland Act – devolved power
• 2012 - Public Consultation – 74% support
Challenges - Timeline
• 2013 - Discussions with HO and CAST
• 2014 Aug - Agreement and Type Approval
• 2014 Oct - Put before Parliament and Justice Cttee
• 2014 Nov - Publicity Launch
• 2014 Dec - Go Live
Challenges
• Geography - 87 Devices across the country
• Type Approval – EC/IR device
• UKAS accreditation of Intoximeters
• Type Approval at new limit
• Logistics!
Launch
Launch
Launch - Media
• National TV and Radio
• 7 National Daily Newspapers
• 12 Online Publications
• Almost every local paper in the country!
Launch
Impact
• Police Scotland focus on casualty reduction
• Increased vehicle stops – 1 every 2 minutes
• Reducing drink drive figures – 6% 2012/13 to 2013/14
• Mean average – 106 per week
• Warnings counted (31 – 39) – additional 35 per week
• Potential impact – 106 increases to 141 per week
Impact
• Average figures now 80 per week
• 25% reduction on 106 – or – 58% reduction on 141….
• Prosecutions Dec - Feb – 739 down to 491, or 34%
• Between ‘Old’ and ‘New’ – 449 versus 42, or 9%
• ‘Morning After’ – 9% of total offences during campaign
• ‘Morning After’ between ‘Old’ and ‘New’ – 22% of total
Impact
• Domestic Violence – 11% reduction
• ‘Correlation’ and ‘Causation’………
Impact
• Licensed Trade
• New Measures – ‘schooner’ and 125 ml
• Later breakfasts in hotels
• Sales of self tests
Today
• The history of the change in Scotland
• The challenges we faced
• The impact on Scotland
Questions ?