Road safety institute weighing up zero tolerance for drivers

The Dutch Road Safety Research Institute is considering a proposal to set the drug and alcohol limit for drivers at zero, a move that could potentially reduce road accidents but would put additional pressure on law enforcement. The institute examined the policy in eight countries with lower limits, including Norway and Sweden, where the limit is 0.02% for all drivers.

The risk of accidents is already higher at the current 0.05% level for those with a driving license under five years. The report suggests that an absolute zero limit is a straightforward and clear standard, minimizing ambiguity. However, implementing such a policy would require more resources for police and testing facilities, particularly in detecting drug levels, especially with cannabis, which can remain detectable for extended periods.