Breath testing pedestrians proposal
A University of Adelaide study is pushing for a 0.15 blood alcohol limit on pedestrians to curb street drunkenness.
Researchers found current methods of reducing the road toll were ineffective, except enforcement of a blood alcohol level for people near traffic.
With street violence rising and drunken walkers costing insurers around $50 million a year in claims, public opinion is quickly turning against street drunkenness.
Paul Hutchinson, author of the study, says despite the controversy implementing such a measure, a blood alcohol limit of 0.15 could be accepted.
"Public opinion does change over time and people don't like drunks rolling about the streets and 0.15 is an alcohol content that most people would not reach, certainly in public," he told the Herald-Sun.
From 2003-2007, 53 of the 58 adult pedestrian deaths in South Australia involved people who had been drinking, with an additional 780 injured pedestrians being treated in hospital.
Other proposals in the study include the onus being placed on licensed venues for death or injury to drunken patrons on the road, improved public transport near pubs and clubs and safety roadworks in accident hot spots.
The survey was conducted at the request of the Motor Accident Commission. Do you think Australia should have a pedestrian blood alcohol limit?
Source: Herald-Sun
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