South Africa: Plans to Lower BAC Limit
The President of South Africa has announced that legal limit of blood alcohol content when driving will be lowered. The measure is intended to prevent and reduce alcohol-related road traffic injury – a serious obstacle to development.
We are going to change the law to ensure we lower the threshold so those who are used to [consuming alcohol] and driving will know we are taking tougher actions, because it is those who [use alcohol] and drive who kill people,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa, as per, East Coast Radio.
Meanwhile the Transport Minister has said the AARTO bill, recently signed into law will be implemented as soon as possible. He states the AARTO system will make sure the strictest action be taken against those who drive under the infleunce of alcohol.
Alcohol and DUI in South Africa
© WHO Global Alcohol Status Report 2018
According to WHO data, every year over 3500 road traffic injury deaths are caused due to alcohol. Currently BAC limits for alcohol range from 0.05 and 0.02 for professional drivers.
South Africa is placed at the high end for years of life lost due to alcohol. It is evident that the government needs to strengthen alcohol control laws to better prevent and reduce alcohol harm on South African people. The proposed lowering of BAC limits is a positive move in this direction. Implementing WHO alcohol control best buy policies would further strengthen alcohol control, driving down consumption and harm from alcohol in South Africa.
