LN: Ministry says one beer does not affect drivers

In: News

2 Aug 2010

LN: Ministry says one beer does not affect drivers

Prague, July 31 (CTK) – It cannot be proven that drinking one weak beer affects the driver’s reactions behind the wheel, the daily Lidove noviny writes, citing an official report by the Czech Health Ministry.

The report concluded that blood alcohol concentration under 0.24 per mille, which more or less corresponds to drinking a typical Czech half-a-litre 10-degree beer.

This might be the first step towards the toleration of one beer for drivers in the Czech Republic where no alcohol is tolerated behind the wheel, the paper writes.

But Czech traffic police are far from enthusiastic and they take a reserved stance on the news.

Jaroslav Horin, expert on traffic safety, is strongly against the possibility of allowing drivers to drink to beer with their lunch.

“Statistical data show that situation with drink driving is drastic in our country. Any toleration would lead to an increase in the number of tragic accidents. We cannot afford anything of the kind,” Horin told the paper.

According to the Czech police, drink driving caused 5725 accidents with 123 deaths in 2009, which was 53.8 percent more than in 2008. While 13,767 drivers were caught drinking last year, it was 13,747 during the first six months of this year.

The police say it would be irresponsible to soften the rules. They argue that several European countries seem to be moving towards zero tolerance.

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