A parliamentary advisory body has presented fresh evidence to support a reduction in drink-drive limits.

The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) set out new data as MPs debated the Road Safety Bill.

The figures show the likely reduction in deaths and serious injuries if the government lowered the maximum allowed blood alcohol level from 80mg to 50mg per 100 mlle of blood.

Professor Richard Allsop of the Centre for Transport Studies, University College London has examined the figures and concluded a lowering of the BAC level could result in 65 fewer road deaths and 230 fewer serious injuries per year.

The conclusions are based on figures originally published by the government in 1998 when it was calculated the same reduction in BAC levels would save only 50 lives and 250 injuries per year.

Personal Impact

Professor Allsop said: "Reducing the limit from 80mg to 50mg can be expected to save about 65 lives a year or around half of those who die in accidents where the driver's BAC is within 30mg of the current limit. Only about one in 50 of those driving during weekend evenings and nights will need to moderate their drinking to achieve this and fewer still at other times."

The call to lower the drink drive limit was made at a press conference at the House of Commons chaired by David Kidney, MP for Stafford and PACTS' co-chair, and organised jointly by PACTS, the British Medical Association and Alcohol Concern.

Speaking at the conference, Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of BMA science and ethics, said: "There really is no excuse for keeping the drink drive limit at 80mg in the United Kingdom.

"Nearly every country in Europe has a 50mg limit and we need to follow this lead. Every death represents a family tragedy and every serious injury can be devastating for the person involved and their relatives."