Research conducted by motoring defence firm, M.A.J. Law, has revealed public knowledge and opinions of the laws surrounding drink driving in England and Wales.
Of those surveyed, more than 90% of respondents said that they were unsure of what the legal limit actually is in Britain. Less than one in 10 were confident that they knew the laws.
The unfamiliarity with the laws, when paired with the fact that almost half of Brits are happy to consume alcohol before driving a vehicle, becomes all the more important.
Just 54% of the survey’s respondents said that they would strictly not drive after consuming any alcohol whatsoever, with a third stating they would consume one alcoholic drink, and 15% claiming they would be fine to drive after two drinks.
As well as the official legal limits, respondents were also asked about their knowledge of the potential penalties of drinking and driving. When asked specifically about both the minimum and maximum legal penalties that a convicted drink driver could face in court, 92% admitted they did not know.
The final section of the survey asked respondents’ opinions on whether or not the current drink driving limit in England and Wales was ‘fair’ or not. Just one third agreed that the current limit was appropriate. Almost one in ten (8%) were of the opinion that the limit should actually be higher, while 15% were unsure.
The validity of these responses is arguably questionable due to the aforementioned lack of knowledge around what the limit actually is, but what these results do show is an indication of the way drink driving law is viewed by the public, and perhaps how severe it is considered to be as an offence.
Robberg - 30/06/2016 12:47
You don't need to know the law. If you're going to drive, don't drink any alcohol at all - no problem.