[WATCH] Legal alcohol limits slashed to curb drink driving

Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon on the drive to cut down on drink driving accidents

New drivers and motorcyclists will have stricter alcohol levels imposed on them as part of a government drive to curb drink driving.

But alcohol levels will also be slashed for all drivers according to a national alcohol policy unveiled today.

While the legal blood alcohol content limit will be cut from 0.08g of alcohol per litre of blood to 0.05g for all drivers, stricter limits will apply for motorcyclists and new drivers.

The stricter limits are 75% lower than the current limit and will apply to new drivers for two years after obtaining a driving licence.

Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon said on Friday that the policy was a first of its kind.

“While this policy recognises the fact that people are still going to consume alcohol, it seeks to address underage drinking and irresponsible and excessive drinking by adults,” he said.

The minister said addressing the excessive consumption of alcohol would require law enforcement authorities to work with social workers. 

“Excessive alcohol consumption and drink driving contribute to a futile loss of life and repercussions for the victims’ families, which we need to avert as a society,” Falzon said.

The measures proposed in the policy are based on tried and tested methods that have led to sharp changes in drink driving patterns, the minister noted.

Alcohol linked to domestic violence

Professor Richard Muscat stressed that while the national alcohol policy aims to stop drink driving, it also deals with social issues.

Muscat noted that 40% of all domestic violence cases were due to excessive alcohol consumption and 17% of child abuse cases were due to excessive alcohol consumption.

“This particular policy is evidence-based, not emotional-based and it hasn’t been plunked from the sky... it’s been proven that drinking under the age of 17 can cause severe damage to the brain which hasn’t fully developed at this point,” Muscat said.

The policy aims to contribute to a measureable reduction of alcohol use especially among teens under the age of 17, alcohol dependency in adults and alcohol related health and social risks.

“The last thing we want is for our kids to lose their potential,” Muscat added, explaining that the figures could explain why there were so many school leavers in Malta.