Herald on Sunday editor Bryce Johns. Photo / Herald on Sunday
The Government believes New Zealand drivers aren't ready to moderate their drinking. We know they are. So take responsibility for keeping our roads safe by signing up: Two Drinks Max.
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Herald on Sunday editor Bryce Johns has accused a road safety select committee of dragging their feet on life-saving changes to drink driving legislation.
Mr Johns presented his case for a lower drink driving limit to the Land Transport (Road Safety and Other Matters) Amendment Bill select committee on October
27.
Its chair, National MP David Bennett, told him he would have to wait for Parliament to get behind the Herald's campaign for a lower limit.
National is sticking by its order for a two-year research project into crashes involving drivers with alcohol readings of between 50mg and 100mg per 100ml of blood.
"I think it will get there in the end. It's just a matter of when," he said.
That delay is likely to cost lives, said Mr Johns.
He presented a case for lowering the drink driving limit from 80 to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood immediately.
It focussed on the 17 people who died on New Zealand roads between 2006 and 2010 with a reading between 50 and 80mg.
Those figures could have been higher if every dead driver had been tested, he said.
"Lives have been cut short because drivers were able to legally be on the road while impaired.
"This is about saving lives and victims from horrific lifelong injuries."
More than 5000 people have signed up to a 'Two Drinks Max' campaign through nzherald.co.nz.
About 30,000 voted in a poll on their personal drink driving limit, with 78 per cent saying they would not drive after two drinks.
That shows widespread public demand for the lower limit, said Mr Johns.
"Two Drinks Max sends the same message as a 50mg limit. It is a very rigid standard. It takes the guesswork out of how much we can drink before we get behind the wheel.
"It's a standard Kiwis are demanding; it will save lives - and it is difficult to see why anyone would not share that view."
The members of the Land Transport (Road Safety and Other Matters) Amendment Bill select committee are Carol Beaumont (Labour), David Bennett, chair (National), Jackie Blue (National), Darien Fenton (Labour), Tau Henare (National), Gareth Hughes (Greens), Moana Mackey (Labour), Adam Peachey (National) and Michael Woodhouse (National).
Click here to read Bryce Johns' full submission.
