The lower threshold means the average male will be over the limit after four to six 330ml bottles of beer drunk over two hours - instead of six to nine under the present limit.
For the average woman this means three to five beers compared to between four and six.
The current limit for drivers under 20 is zero.
Safer Wairarapa Road-Safety co-ordinator Dave Ryan said the lower limit would reduce alcohol-related accidents and fatalities.
"There is clear evidence alcohol plays a big factor in many of our crashes ... for under 20 year olds, the zero tolerance was a good move," he said.
Zero tolerance had been embraced by youth drivers, Mr Ryan said.
"They are making good choices around alcohol and driving.
"Planning ways to get home properly ... the younger age group have grown up making the right choices about drinking and driving."
It was up to everyone to ensure they got home safely after drinking. There was a generation older than 45 who were relaxed around drink-driving which resulted in many recidivist drinking drivers appearing before our courts in this age group, he said.
"They are the ones who think they won't get caught. That it's just down the road to get home and will take a risk. It's difficult to change these attitudes. There is no magic bullet ... passengers have to say it's unacceptable and refuse to get in the car. Everybody has to take responsibility. It's a continuous thing."
The legislation to reduce the alcohol limit is due to be passed into law by Parliament next year.
Alcohol Healthwatch had been a long time advocate for such a change and director Rebecca Williams said while the decision was long overdue, it was an important one for road safety.
She hopes the relevant legislation has a smooth and speedy passage through Parliament.
"The research evidence is clear, the more alcohol in the system the greater the risk of being involved in an alcohol-related crash. It is also clear that impairment kicks in at relatively low levels of alcohol."
The move puts New Zealand in line with other countries including Australia, Germany, France, Austria and Italy.
The changes come after a two-year review of the impact of lowering the legal blood alcohol limit by 30 milligrams suggested 3.4 lives would be saved a year and 64 injury-causing crashes avoided.
It would also save $200 million in social costs over 10 years.
- additional reporting APNZ
