New Zealanders have a very important opportunity right now to make progress on reducing drunken driving. You can help make this happen.
Cabinet are seriously deliberating whether or not to decrease the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for people 20 years and over from 0.08 to 0.05, and may make a decision over the next week or two. They are looking for a public signal and if they don't hear it, they are likely to go with the intense alcohol industry lobbying to maintain the status quo.
Remember, a BAC of 0.05 is a standard definition of intoxication. So allowing people to drive their cars with a BAC of 0.08 is essentially legally endorsing intoxicated driving. There is overwhelming evidence now that a reduction will save lives and many serious injuries. By reducing the BAC level from 0.08 to 0.05 New Zealand will join most other countries which already have a BAC limit of 0.05 as follows:
Argentina Italy
Australia Luxembourg
Austria Netherlands
Belgium Peru
Canada,Ontario Portugal
Denmark Serbia
Finland South Africa
France Spain
Germany Switzerland
Greece Thailand
Iceland Turkey
Here is what to do.
Write an email to the Prime Minister, with a copy to Steven Joyce and your local National MP, telling them you strongly support reducing the BAC limit from 0.08 to 0.05.
Here are the email addresses:
John.Key@parliament.govt.nz
Steven.Joyce@parliament.govt.nz
Your.Member@parliament.govt.nz
You don't have to say anything more, but if you want to, all the better.
The New Zealand Drug Foundation's website will be putting up further background information - http://www.nzdf.org.nz/
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