Editorial: Knowing your limits still key

A new safety campaign is targeting drinking limits for drivers.

It's been almost a year since the drink-drive limit was lowered.

At the time there was much discussion about whether it would make any difference to our appalling drink-driving record.

So, has there been a change in behaviour? Rotorua road policing manager/district youth and alcohol co-ordinator, Inspector Kevin Taylor, says he is not convinced there has been.

Yet, as those in the local hospitality industry tell us, there has been a definite change in customers' drinking habits.

Sales of low-alcohol beers have surged, and now we have low-alcohol wines and ciders emerging as well.

Five or 10 years ago it was rare to hear someone requesting a low-alcohol beer in a pub. In my experience no one bats an eyelid now. Not even the most "macho" of Kiwi males.

The problem, according to the industry, is that many are not sticking around for as long, or are choosing not to go out to drink or dine at all - partly due to uncertainty over what they can safely drink.

Now a new campaign has been launched in a bid to clear up that confusion.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, Hospitality NZ wants people to know it's still okay to have a couple of drinks, using scientific research to produce a "rule of thumb" guide.

It seems we should be safe with three standard drinks over two hours for men and two standard drinks over two hours for women. The problem with rules of thumb is that they are never hard and fast.

So there will still be uncertainty - just as there was before the law changed.

It's everyone's personal responsibility to know their own limits and, where in doubt, not get behind the wheel. Just as it always was.

There's little doubt the change has prompted positive changes in the drinking habits of many. We can only hope that will also translate into a year of fewer drink-driving convictions and fewer deaths and injuries on the roads.