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Donald Cameron's comment on new evidence from "Australian Alcohol Guidelines"

At the time that .05 was introduced in Victoria as the legal limit at which a motorist could drive with alcohol in the blood, the risk factor of double the chance of crashing the car at this blood alcohol level was considered acceptable.

Mr Cameron said studies published in the National Health and Medical Research Council's Australian Alcohol Guidelines, endorsed in October 2001, last year, revealed that the risk of having a road accident at .02 was double that of a driver with no alcohol in the bloodstream (Zapor 1991).

Mr Cameron said research showed that at .05 the risk of an accident was increased fivefold, was 25 times higher at .08 and 80 times more likely at .15. (Ryan 2001)

Australian Alcohol Guidelines goes on to say 'a recent Australian study comparing blood alcohol concentrations of drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes found that the risk increased 25 times at .08 and 80 times at .15 .

Mr. Cameron considers that these new findings cannot be ignored.

In 1965, Australia already had a catastrophic road toll – about 3,000 per year dead and many more thousands per year injured. (approximately 10 times the morality rate)

The law permits motorists to drive, while under the influence of alcohol, up to the level of .05.

This law helps to cause the sickening road toll in alcohol related deaths and injuries.

In direct contradiction to this we are urged "Don't drink and drive." Alcohol begins to affect us all in varying degrees from the moment we take the first drink.

Ask yourself the question: How can any motorist understand the mixed messages?

The drink driver deprives us all of the right to maximum safe passage on Australia's roads – the guilty and innocent alike. The road toll tally of paraplegics, quadriplegics and brain injured victims has doubled in the last 12 months. Fatalities are not the only horrific statistic! Press release of years 2000 – 2001.

* FOR MOTORISTS TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE AT A PREVIOUSLY SANCTIONED LEVEL OF DOUBLE RISK THEY NEED TO DRIVE AT .02 NOW.