How the new road safety strategy could affect drink-drive limits

If you’ve been keeping an eye on motoring policy this year, you’ll have seen the UK Government launch its first major Road Safety Strategy in over a decade, with drink-drive limits right at the heart of the conversation. But what exactly does it all mean?

At Intack Self Drive, we’ve been helping businesses and drivers stay mobile for over 50 years now with options like daily car hire and flexi van hire. We know that the thought of all these changes can be confusing, so we’re here to break down how the strategy could affect drink-drive limits across the UK and what it might mean for everyday drivers.

Why the government is revisiting drink-drive limits

The Department for Transport is consulting on a bold new Road Safety Strategy with a long-term goal: cut deaths and serious injuries on British roads by 65% by 2035. As part of this drive, ministers are seriously considering reducing the legal drink-drive limit, a move that hasn’t been seen in England and Wales since the current threshold was set in the 1960s.

Today, the legal drink-drive limit in England and Wales is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, one of the highest in Europe. In contrast, Scotland has held a lower limit of 50mg per 100ml of blood since 2014. The new strategy proposes reducing the limit in England and Wales to bring it closer to European standards, and for novice or new drivers, even stricter limits – as low as 20mg per 100ml – are also under consideration.

The reason for the change is clear: even small amounts of alcohol can affect reaction times, hazard perception, and overall driving ability. Lowering limits aims to reduce collisions, serious injuries, and fatalities, making the roads safer for everyone. At the same time, the Government is also considering a number of other measures, including:

• Enforcing licence suspensions at an earlier stage – police may be able to temporarily restrict a suspected offender’s licence pending court decisions, helping to prevent risk before legal outcomes are reached.
• Reviewing penalties and mandatory training for offenders; this includes consulting on technological solutions like alcohol interlock breathaliser systems that prevent a vehicle from starting if the driver is over the limit.

Practical implications for drivers and businesses

With the proposed regulations in mind, even moderate drinking could bring drivers closer to or over the new legal limit. That means that whether you’re commuting, enjoying a city break, or simply running errands, you’ll need to be aware that even one or two drinks may no longer be legally safe.

For businesses, these changes would bring several serious operational implications. If your team regularly get behind the wheel – whether that’s in your own vehicles or in ones hired from us through daily or flexi car hire – it’s worth thinking now about how you would adapt to these regulations. A couple of possible steps include updating staff on the proposed new limits, educating them on potential licence suspensions and stricter penalties, and reviewing schedules to ensure drivers aren’t at risk of breaching rules.

In the long run, making these practical, proactive changes could keep operations and staff safe and compliant while minimising disruption, so your business can navigate the evolving road safety landscape with confidence.

Whatever the future holds for drink-drive limits, you can always depend on our vehicles to get you from A to B. As one of the largest privately owned self-drive rental companies in Lancashire, we’re proud to have built a reputation for providing quality and reliability every time. From daily car hire to flexi van hire, we’ve got over 500 options to choose from, and we’re always here to help you keep moving safely and conveniently. For more information, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01254 57811 today.