The drink driving limit

The Press reports:

A Government call on dropping the breath-alcohol limit for drivers will go down to the wire, with lobbyists fearing a “scandalous” backdown in a decision that could be announced as soon as Monday.

I don’t have any idea what the Government will do, but they always said that one option is to try and gain more NZ specific research into the impact of driving with a BAC between 0.05 and 0.08.

This is my preferred option. In the last year, only one driver aged over 25 who died in a car crash had a BAC between 0.05 and 0.08.

I’m not 100% against a law change, but I don’t think there is enough information to justify such a change.

But it is understood the proposal has met fierce resistance from some Cabinet ministers.

Good. This is a major change that could criminalise tens of thosuands of New Zealanders.

Within the next couple of weeks – possibly as early as Monday – ministers will have to agree on either lowering the breath-alcohol limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg, or to allowing police to breath test every driver involved in an accident. The breath tests would provide the “definitive” picture on the effect a lowering of the limit would have, Transport Minister Steven Joyce says.

So the lobbyists (inevitably all taxpayer funded) are against the Government gathering better quality research on the impact of any proposed change. Why? Are they scared that the results may not support their advocacy?