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The Automobile Association of South Africa said that changing traffic laws relating to drink driving would be meaningless and ineffective if current laws were not properly implemented and enforced first.
The AA was commenting on Tuesday’s announcement by Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula, on the proposed changes to the legal Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limit for drivers to be reduced to zero percent.
The Association said drinking and driving could be more effectively combated by reducing the allowable alcohol limits for drivers, and for the courts to impose tougher sentences on offenders.
“The current enforcement of drunk drivers will not stop those who regularly exceed the limits because there are simply no consequences for their actions,” the AA said, adding that a zero BAC limit was not going to change this behaviour.
“Although South Africa’s current Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limit of 0.05% is not out of line with world standards, the crisis on South Africa’s roads demands a tougher approach.”
The AA is proposing that the 0.05% limit be reduced to 0.02% which is in place in many countries.
It also noted that the proposed move to reduce the legal limit to zero does not take into consideration the fact that some medications such as cough syrups may contain alcohol.
The Association said in these cases drivers may find themselves with criminal records for taking one dose of this medication when it would have no material effect on their driving ability.
“Reducing the blood alcohol limit to zero will not solve the problem of road deaths in South Africa if it is not supported by a thorough, scientific diagnosis of the problem of drink driving with proper statistics which back such a move.”
“Behavioural change is needed to solve this problem and that requires proper enforcement of existing laws, and more intensive education of the dangers of drunk driving, both of which do not currently occur,” the AA said.
