Road safety is a question of public interest that requires effective and courageous measures. In Spain, a new legislative proposal aimed at reducing the alcohol rate allowed in the blood to conduct has been approved in Parliament, repeating the practices of European countries with the best road safety indicators.
By Diogo Fernandes Sousa *
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Currently, both in Portugal and Spain, the total alcohol limit is 0.5 grams per liter of blood. However, international studies and experiences show that even small quantities of alcohol influence driving ability. The accident risk doubles at a rate of 0.5 g/l with respect to zero consumption. Countries such as Sweden and Norway, the references in the prevention of roads have established limits of 0.2 g/l and international organizations recommend it to reduce claims and fatal accidents.
The Spanish proposal not only reduces the limit to all drivers, but also prevents the spread of the positions of police operations, fighting the practices that weaken supervision and increase impunity. These are examples of measures that save lives and strengthen the culture of responsibility behind the wheel.
The topic that “drinking a glass is not bad” ignores a fundamental fact: any quantity of alcohol decreases the reflections and perception of risk. In addition, keeping an “acceptable” margin of alcohol in the blood, we send a wrong message to the company, suggesting that there is a safe consumption level before led.
Portugal has a real road accident problem, with hundreds of dead and serious injuries every year. A third of the fatal victims has alcohol in the blood, according to Spanish data, and Portuguese reality will not be very different. If we want to reduce these statistics, it is essential to adopt more rigorous and aligned policies with the best European practices.
Reducing the legal alcohol rate to drive is not a matter of limiting individual freedoms, but of protecting life. The right to consume alcohol cannot climb over the right to safety of all those who circulate on the roads.
Prevention must be a priority and Portugal now has the opportunity to learn from Spain and adopt more demanding legislation.
* Writer of the book “Direction of the Nation: Reflection on Portuguese”. Professor at the Jean Piaget Polytechnic Institute.
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