Addressing Recidivist Drink Drivers

Jos Mason Founder of New Zealand Bikers Against Drunk Drivers is hopeful that rising numbers of recidivist drink drivers will be addressed as part of the Goverments new road safety strategy and in the lowering current BAC levels debate.

According to research The International Traffic Injury Foundation with combined data from Australia, Canada and Sweden in its conclusions says;

"The rationale behind lowering BAC is fundamentally flawed as it fails to make connection between a lower BAC limit and alcohol related crashes.

There is a process involved in changing drink drive behavior that includes drivers becoming aware of the law, becoming motivated to comply with the law and understanding how to comply with the lower limit, there is little evidence to suggest that the introduction of a lower BAC limit has an effect on this process, hence, there is little reason to expect a reduction in alcohol related crashes.

In addition the rationale for a lower BAC limit fails to acknowledge the powerful influence that alcohol abuse or dependence has on behavior, People with alcohol problems account for the majority of alcohol related crashes.

Their drinking behavior and subsequent driving is not easily changed.

Regardless of a lower BAC limit this high risk group will continue to drink heavily and drive afterwards, lowering the limit is a measure directed at the wrong group of drivers".

This "magic bullet" addressing lowering bac will be a tragic misfire, criminalising the general public, that would do well to be much widely and better educated in understanding the standard drinks concept and variables that increase our bac level, regardless of suggestioning of recommending drink intake.

In Lowering the BAC we need to keep in mind - uneducated drink drivers with residual alcohol, whom only "last night" had a sober driver, but "this morning" drive to work over the limit.

We continue to recycle recidivists with multiple convictions back onto our roads.

The numbers of recidivist drink drivers continue to rise yearly according to  2007 Ministry of Justice statistics .

Jos Mason's husband and friends were killed In April 2007 - by a recidivist with 20 years of drink driving history and four prior convictions, the response to the four deaths a little over a week later by police were : "calls to lower bac saves 14 lives a year"

Jos is confident that lowering the current Bac would not have stopped Gordon Armstrong drinking and driving and would support the lowering of BAC if she thought it would prevent hardcore drink drivers.

 A serious question needs to be asked;

Will lowering the BAC stop recidivists from continuing to maim or kill innocent road users.

Jos urges the Justice and Transport Ministers to carefully consider available International and local research and evidence, and to seriously consider the impact on lowering BAC. The recidivism epidemic needs to be addressed in road safety measures.

ends

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