12 things you said about the legal alcohol limit for driving in England

The Government has pledged thousands of pounds in funding towards the creation of a new roadside breathalyser.
You're split on whether or not the legal limit should be lowered. Picture: PA.You're split on whether or not the legal limit should be lowered. Picture: PA.
You're split on whether or not the legal limit should be lowered. Picture: PA.

When created, the new machine will allow officers to take tests at the roadside which can be used in evidence. Currently, if motorists give a positive reading at the side of the road, they are taken in to the police station for further testing. As the announcement was made, we wanted to know if you thought it was time for a change in our drink-driving laws. The legal limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood and 107 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of urine.

In our online poll, you were split in your votes as to whether or not the legal limit should be lowered - with 53% of you saying no.

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Read more: Government fund development of new drink-drove breathalyser

Here's how you reacted on social media:

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Ian Naylor: "More police to enforce the current level would do far more good, as well as get to grips with other crime too. All we get is Tory cuts, cuts, cuts."

Roddy Macpherson: "Yes. Should be zero except for a background trace from meds etc."

Ted Johnson: "No it's fine the way it is. Enough for a pint with your scran."

Peter Watt: "It should be set at zero can't see no reason why you'd want a beer then drive."

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Phillip Martin: "Zero tolerance. Cuts out grey areas. No more 'oh I'll only have one'. As for the idiots saying what about the day after, over the limit is over the limit ... can't you grasp that?"

Steven Chippendale: "Surely the limit is set so that they aren’t arresting everyone who ate sherry trifle or used mouthwash five mins before leaving the house. Zero tolerance is just more admin for an already overstretched police force."

Craig McCombie: "The limit is fine as it is. I do believe people should never be able to hold a licence again once they've been caught over it, though."

Emma Hamed: "Zero is a bit much but the limit now which is 35 is pretty scary! They should deffo lower it but not to zero god you could have a shandy and that would take you over."

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Lee Smith: "I'd like to see pubs issued with the testing kits or even have them available commercially so people know exactly how much they've had then there is no excuses for not knowing if you're over the limit."

David Wheelhouse: "It's not the people who have one pint who are the problem , it's the ones who have a skin full and they will still have a skin full no matter what the limit is."

Chris Stevens: "Surely zero is the best option as it removes any doubt."

Diane Liddle: "If it’s zero folk know where they stand, none of this I will only have the two and I will be fine to drive."