Drinking Drivers

EDM number 302 in 1989-90, proposed by Stephen Day on 15/01/1990.

That this House deplores the fact that around 20,000 casualties are injured each year in alcohol-related accidents on British roads, half of whom are innocent victims of the excess alcohol offender; notes that research and practice has shown that the best way to deter potential excess alcohol offenders is to increase the likelihood of detection by the police; further notes the police view, which has been re-stated following the mixed results of the Christmas campaign, that existing legislation is failing to deter a reckless minority; acknowledges the broad support from the public, the professions and a wide range of organisations for the introduction of an additional police power to conduct random breath testing within the prescribed context of a roadside checkpoint which has been properly authorised, controlled and signposted; further notes that 3,000 out of 3,400 responses to the Government consultation exercise favoured a significant extension of breath testing powers; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to introduce the necessary amending legislation as soon as possible.

This motion has been signed by a total of 67 MPs.