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The biggest shake-up in drink-drive laws for more than 40 years could lead to an introduction of random breath-testing.

The Government is expected to introduce a raft of consultation documents aimed at reducing road accidents in the next few weeks, with random breath-testing being the most controversial proposal.

At present, police can only carry out a breath test if a motorist has been driving erratically, been involved in an accident or has committed another offence while driving.

MPs have been persuaded to consider changes to the 40-year-old law after the Christmas drink-driving statistics showed that a 6% increase in the number of breath tests led to a sharp fall in the number of convictions, from 9700 in 2006 to 7800 in 2007.

A change in the law would allow the police to carry out breath tests at any time, including setting up random checkpoints at the roadside.

A further consultation document is expected to recommend lowering the legal drink-driving limit from 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood to 50 milligrammes.

Glad i don't drink drive.

then again a don't drink often

Fine by me, the more test's the better, I hardly ever drink, and never drive even after half a pint!

Can't see the point in it, its not big and its not clever, especially when the people are facing a prison term when their caught doing it!

3 times police CAN lawfully request a breath test
1) when they suspect that the person has consumed alcohol
2) when the person has comitted a moving traffic offence
3) when the person has been involved in a road traffic collision.

the moving traffic offence is a pretty much catch all..as even 1 mph over the speed limit gives the moving traffic offence..and EVERYBODY speeds at some point!

So "random" breath tests arent going to change much...

Aye... I got breathalised for nothing; I think it was about January 2006, just got pulled in Moreton for a random breath test and insurance check.

I was made up cos I had never done one before and I was all excited, the busy was only about 24 and was asking if my GPS detected speed camera's as if so he could do with one haha, but I wasnt pulled for any other reason, just they said they were cracking down on drink-drivers at the time?

Does that mean it was "unlawful"??

nope..it wasnt unlawful..you volunteered...had you refused however they would of had to have one of the reasons above satisified in order to arrest you for failing to provide...

Aha, okay then, cheers for that matey

sure they do random breathalising up here

Bring them on, I don't Drink and drive, to be honest I don't drink alcohol much anyway.

Dave pulled me around Christmas 2006 (pre-Wiki) and requested I did a breathalyser test, my 1st and only time, I was more than happy to oblige. The more innocent drivers that they test the more chance they have at catching the actual Drink Drivers that put us all at risk, as well as increase all our insurance premiums.

Although If drink drivers are willing to break the law by drinking and driving, so if they are caught and given a fine and ban, what's saying that they wont break the law by driving without a license or insurance.

Because the intel the police gain does relate to the cars used by drink drivers...and believe me they are targeted!

What I don't understand is if you drive without a license you get a driving ban, but surely you can only be banned if you were licensed in the 1st place.

Or you receive for example a 12month jail sentence and a 12month driving ban and they run together so by the time you have served your sentence your ban is up and you can drive again. so the ban was useless coz they couldnt drive in jail anyway.

if u dot have a licence an u get banned say for 12 months then that means u cant take ur test tun till the ban is over an if u have provisional then points will go on that