Lowering the legal alcohol limits for driving: expected changes in the prevalence of positive tests

Manuela Alcañiz; Montserrat Guillen; Miguel Santolino

doi:10.1016/j.gaceta.2025.102463

Lowering the legal alcohol limits for driving: expected changes in the prevalence of positive tests

Gac Sanit. 2025 Feb 24:39:102463. doi: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2025.102463. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Manuela Alcañiz¹, Montserrat Guillen², Miguel Santolino²

Affiliations

¹ RISKcenter - Research Institute in Applied Economics, Department of Econometrics, Statistics and Applied Economy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: malcaniz@ub.edu.
² RISKcenter - Research Institute in Applied Economics, Department of Econometrics, Statistics and Applied Economy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

PMID: 39999650
DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2025.102463

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the increase in the prevalence rate of drivers testing positive for alcohol when lowering the breath alcohol content (BrAC) limit from 0.25 to 0.10mg/l.

Method: A cross-sectional study using a sample of 8320 breath tests from a mandatory roadside random survey conducted on interurban roads in Catalonia in 2019.

Results: The percentage of drivers with a BrAC>0.10mg/L was 3.8% (95%CI: 3.2-4.4), more than twice the percentage with a BrAC>0.25mg/L (1.6%, 95%CI: 1.2-2.0). Males (4.0%, 95%CI: 3.3-4.6 vs. 1.6%, 95%CI: 1.2-2.0) and those aged over 65 years (4.3%, 95%CI: 2.2-6.4. vs. 0.8%, 95%CI: 0.2-1.5) are particularly impacted by the alcohol limit reduction.

Conclusions: This study identifies the groups likely to be most affected by a reduction of the legal BrAC limit, highlighting the need for targeted awareness campaigns on the risks of drinking and driving.

Keywords: Accident prevention; Accidentes de tráfico; Alcoholemia; Automobile driving; Blood alcohol content; Breath test; Conducción de automóviles; Conducción y alcohol; Drinking and driving; Prevención de accidentes; Prueba de aliento; Traffic accidents.