Harm caused by alcohol and other drugs, including when driving under the influence, places an avoidable burden on individuals and our society, emergency services, the NHS, and the economy. Alcohol and drug related deaths were at a record high in 2021 and 2022. Collisions caused by driving under the influence continues to claim hundreds of lives across the UK each year.
Therefore, the BMA, in collaboration with a range of organisations representing medical professional bodies, alcohol and road safety charities and campaign groups, police and emergency services, and others, have developed this consensus statement setting out key actions that are needed to tackle this issue.
It calls for:
- Reducing the legal blood alcohol content limit for driving
- Implementing accompanying measures to make the limit effective, such as adequate enforcement and education
- Increasing alcohol and drug treatment service capacity and capability
- Implementing other preventative policy mechanisms, such as media campaigns to inform the public of health risks and dangers of driving under the influence, and mandatory labelling.
Endorse our statement
The following organisations have endorsed this statement and we invite others to do so. If you would like more information or are interested in endorsing this statement, please email [email protected].
- Adfam
- Aftermath Support
- Alcohol Change UK
- Alcohol Health Alliance
- Association of Ambulance Chief Executives
- Balance
- Brake: The Road Safety Charity
- British Medical Association
- CADD (Campaign Against Drink Driving)
- Change Grow Live
- College of Paramedics
- Dtech International
- Faculty of Public Health
- IAM Roadsmart
- IAS (Institute of Alcohol Studies)
- MCA (Medical Council on Alcohol)
- PACTS (Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety)
- RCEM (Royal College of Emergency Medicine)
- RoadPeace
- RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents)
- Royal College of Physicians
- SCARD (Support and Care After Road Death and Injury)
Read the evidence
There is a strong evidence base that supports the measures called for in our consensus statement.