Editorial: Less drink will make people think

In a little over a fortnight's time, New Zealand will begin to toe the international line in terms of drink-driving limits.

While there are still a couple of African countries where there is no fixed limit at all, Kiwis have been driving about under limits which were, it would be fair to say, rather generous.

On average, the equally average male could drink something like six to nine beers over two hours and still drive away from a roadside test.

Although I daresay that figure needs to be lined up beside the individual as everyone is physically different and some have more tolerance to alcohol than others.

Bit scary though.

But from December 1, the limits are coming down from 80mg per 100ml of alcohol to 50mg per 100ml.

It's a figure which equates to 0.05 grams of alcohol per 100mls of blood.

It is the same figure used by our Australian neighbours and in most European countries.

Of course it will rattle the nerves of many people who stop by somewhere for a quiet drink while on a Sunday drive or whatever, and more so those who head for a night out.

One bar owner said it would likely make many people "nervous" as they had been used to a system whereby they pretty well knew their own boundaries and had come to know the exact amount they could drink.

There will of course be a slice of the community who reckon it is too severe, but they need to be reminded that it does allow for someone to still enjoy maybe three or four beers over a couple of hours and still be deemed lawful to drive.

They should be thankful they don't live in Argentina, Hungary, Romania or Slovakia where the limit is extremely easy to remember - it is zero.

In China, it is just 0.02 and if you break the limit you are likely to end up doing time in a cell. Ditto for Japan and India where the limit is 0.03.

Of course the moaners and groaners can take some solace that they don't live in Brunei or Kuwait or Saudi Arabia where there are no alcohol limits when it comes to driving - because alcohol is banned [And, if you're a woman, driving].

In terms of the effect the new regulations will have on the hospitality industry, it is difficult to say.

That picture should be clearer a few weeks into December but it is a fair bet that people will certainly sip, stop and think about it.

And that's a very good thing.