Road Safety expert calls for lower drink-drive limit for women as the proportion of women drink-drivers increases

A road safety expert has called for a lower drink-drive limit for women. Heather Ward, a road safety consultant at University College London, argues that the current drink-drive limit is based on how men process alcohol but men have a different metabolism to women. She said that women process alcohol differently so will have higher blood alcohol concentrations when drinking the same amount as men. 

Mrs Ward called for the change as she highlighted research published last year showing that the proportion of drink-driving convictions involving women were increasing. She also said that research shows that women in their 40s are more likely to be driving over the limit than men the same age once the amount of time they spent on the road was taken into account. She attributed this to the stress that women in their 40s, especially professional women, may be under; as well as safety factors such as a fear of using taxis.