QUOTE
There are calls to cut the blood alcohol level for drivers to zero in order to reduce the number of fatalities on Australian roads.
Already some states are considering reducing alcohol limits for transport workers and novice drivers.
But Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson says there should be a national debate on reducing the blood alcohol limit for all drivers to zero.
Australians are known for enjoying a drink - or several - but if talkback on ABC radio is any guide, it seems there is a lot of support for a complete ban on alcohol before driving.
"Two drinks for one person puts them over the limit, two drinks for somebody else doesn't, and people just seem to not be able to get it right, so just let's have zero and then everybody knows where they are," one caller said.
"Zero alcohol should be it; the present level doesn't get rid of the two-pot screamers on the road," said another.
And there were others, but only a couple of people were opposed to the idea - they sent in text messages.
However the man some see as responsible for the statistics on Queensland's roads, Commissioner Atkinson, was more circumspect on ABC Local Radio this morning.
"It's an interesting idea [but] I'm not sure whether the Queensland community is ready for it and I would think that we need to have an evidence base," he said.
Academics researching road safety agree more research is needed. For instance, it is not known how many drivers involved in accidents have a 0.05 blood alcohol reading.
However, the ACT Government is considering a zero blood alcohol limit for professional drivers and New South Wales recently reduced the limit for novice drivers to zero.
Commissioner Atkinson says Queensland should do better when it comes to road safety.
"The best countries in the world in terms of the rate for the road toll and the rate is probably the best measure - that's the number of deaths each year per 100,000 of the population - the best countries in the world are the Scandinavian countries like Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and their rate is about four," he said.
"Queensland's is eight, Victoria is six. I think we can do better."
Scandinavian countries have severe jail penalties for drink drivers and very low alcohol limits on the roads.
Low-level offending
The Australian Medical Association's (AMA) vice-president, Dr Steve Hambleton, says tougher laws on alcohol and driving are overdue.
"The AMA thinks it's high time we had a debate on this issue of blood alcohol and driving," he said.
"We know that the statistics show that even one drink, even low levels of alcohol increase your risk of a fatal crash.
"So between 0.02 and 0.04, which is less than the legal limit, you have a 1.4 times risk of having a single-vehicle fatal crash.
"Between 0.05 and 0.09 that risk is 11 times."
But it seems even among doctors, opinion is divided on this issue.
The victims of car crashes caused by drink drivers are often treated by emergency specialist David Rosengren.
"It's always devastating to see often young, fit, healthy people with their whole life in front of them destroyed," he said.
Dr Rosengren is also the chairman of the Queensland arm of the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. He says most people involved in alcohol-related driving accidents are significantly over the limit.
"As a general rule, most of these people who are involved in major trauma as a result of alcohol are significantly over the alcohol limit. They're not people who are blowing 0.055 or anything like that," he said.
He says a zero blood alcohol limit is not the solution for these drivers and removing licenses and impounding cars would be more effective.
The ABC has asked the Queensland Government for its position on this electorally sensitive issue, but so far there has been no response.
Already some states are considering reducing alcohol limits for transport workers and novice drivers.
But Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson says there should be a national debate on reducing the blood alcohol limit for all drivers to zero.
Australians are known for enjoying a drink - or several - but if talkback on ABC radio is any guide, it seems there is a lot of support for a complete ban on alcohol before driving.
"Two drinks for one person puts them over the limit, two drinks for somebody else doesn't, and people just seem to not be able to get it right, so just let's have zero and then everybody knows where they are," one caller said.
"Zero alcohol should be it; the present level doesn't get rid of the two-pot screamers on the road," said another.
And there were others, but only a couple of people were opposed to the idea - they sent in text messages.
However the man some see as responsible for the statistics on Queensland's roads, Commissioner Atkinson, was more circumspect on ABC Local Radio this morning.
"It's an interesting idea [but] I'm not sure whether the Queensland community is ready for it and I would think that we need to have an evidence base," he said.
Academics researching road safety agree more research is needed. For instance, it is not known how many drivers involved in accidents have a 0.05 blood alcohol reading.
However, the ACT Government is considering a zero blood alcohol limit for professional drivers and New South Wales recently reduced the limit for novice drivers to zero.
Commissioner Atkinson says Queensland should do better when it comes to road safety.
"The best countries in the world in terms of the rate for the road toll and the rate is probably the best measure - that's the number of deaths each year per 100,000 of the population - the best countries in the world are the Scandinavian countries like Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and their rate is about four," he said.
"Queensland's is eight, Victoria is six. I think we can do better."
Scandinavian countries have severe jail penalties for drink drivers and very low alcohol limits on the roads.
Low-level offending
The Australian Medical Association's (AMA) vice-president, Dr Steve Hambleton, says tougher laws on alcohol and driving are overdue.
"The AMA thinks it's high time we had a debate on this issue of blood alcohol and driving," he said.
"We know that the statistics show that even one drink, even low levels of alcohol increase your risk of a fatal crash.
"So between 0.02 and 0.04, which is less than the legal limit, you have a 1.4 times risk of having a single-vehicle fatal crash.
"Between 0.05 and 0.09 that risk is 11 times."
But it seems even among doctors, opinion is divided on this issue.
The victims of car crashes caused by drink drivers are often treated by emergency specialist David Rosengren.
"It's always devastating to see often young, fit, healthy people with their whole life in front of them destroyed," he said.
Dr Rosengren is also the chairman of the Queensland arm of the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. He says most people involved in alcohol-related driving accidents are significantly over the limit.
"As a general rule, most of these people who are involved in major trauma as a result of alcohol are significantly over the alcohol limit. They're not people who are blowing 0.055 or anything like that," he said.
He says a zero blood alcohol limit is not the solution for these drivers and removing licenses and impounding cars would be more effective.
The ABC has asked the Queensland Government for its position on this electorally sensitive issue, but so far there has been no response.
) . thank god it was late at night cos i hate to think what could have happened if there were more cars. when i ride my bike now i am scared shitless of all cars, fuck whenever i drive a car now i see the same bullshit happening, but saying that i still like to drive/ride after a couple/few drinks. my attention is fully aware cos i have a 6-month old behind me. i just think the world is full of dodgy driving people and that the death toll won't lessen any if this shit is enforced. it will sheerly be for revenue. just like the rest of the bullshit laws trying to be halfarsed enforced since they came in. my 2 cents anyways, thanks for listening , Laterz
, I feel ok to drive but my BAC might not be 0.00. The Government need to "act" like they're doing something so activists will get off their back. That's how I see it anyways..