Spanish parliament approved descent of the maximum amount of alcohol allowed in the blood of the drivers, from 0.5 to 0.2 grams per liter of blood. Spa warns of the high alcohol consumption in the country and says: “It should be zero.”
The Spanish Parliament approved on Tuesday, in a first (not yet definitive) vote, the proposal to reduce the maximum amount of alcohol currently allowed in the blood of drivers from 0.5 grams of alcohol per liter of blood to 0.2 grams.
According to the proposal, this rate will be applied to all conductors In Spain, regardless of the profession or seniority of the driving license.
In the preamble of the PSOE proposal, it is read that alcohol or drugs “are of the main causes of road accidents worldwide” and that In countries like Sweden and Norway, “world leaders in road safety”, the rate is already 0.2 grams per liter of bloodwhich is also recommended by international organizations, which understand that “this limit is equivalent to zero tolerance ”.
0.2 g/the “broad” of 0.5 g/l
The Portuguese Society of Alcoology greeted the beginning of the legislative process, arguing that Portugal should follow this example to combat road accident.
Speaking to the Lusa Agency, the president of the Portuguese Society of Alcoology (Spa), Joana Teixeira, considered the initiative “to praise” and a “very important measure” in the fight against road accident associated with alcohol consumption. The expert argued that Portugal should adopt a similar policy, warning that “It is completely different” to have a rate of 0.2 or 0.5 grams of blood alcohol (g/l) regarding the effects it produces on the perception of the driver.
“The rates of 0.2 grams are usually associated with a slight sensation of euphoriaone Discreet reduction in inhibitions and one Light decrease in motor coordination.
“When we talk about 0.5 rateswe have a most pronounced euphoria”The expert elucidated, considering that“ there is a lack of awareness in this problem ”. With an alcohol rate of 0.5 g/L, the motorist begins to present other symptoms such as“Slower speaksmore uncoordinated, change, above all, in judgment and motor skills and also a sensation of relaxation and loss of self -control”.
“Therefore, not only do we have a higher risk of uncoordination in motor terms, but also an increase in risk for impulsive behaviors, which in driving is surely severe,” warned Joana Teixeira.
“It should be zero”. Portugal has Daily intake of most frequent alcohol in Europe
According to the psychiatrist, the rate of road sinister associated with an alcohol rate of 0.5 g/l is Cerca to good observed in conductors with 0.2 g/l. It has argued that the sensitization campaigns are needed to alert the population to the risks of driving under the influence of alcohol, considering that there is a lack of knowledge about the effect that alcohol produces in terms of perception and behavior alteration and the risk associated with driving.
In Portugal, the legal limit of alcohol in the blood is 0.5 grams for the generality of drivers and 0.2 g/l for professional drivers and with provisional driving license, but for Joana Teixeira It should be zero.
“It should not be moderate, it should not be little, it must be zero,” he said.
The president of the SPA also warned of the high alcohol consumption in Portugal, citing Eurostat data of 2024, according to which “Daily alcohol intake in Portugal is the most frequent in Europe”with about 21% of the population consuming alcohol daily, followed by Spain (13%).
Also cited the data from the 5th National Inquiry into the consumption of psychoactive substances in the Portuguese population, from the Institute of Additive Behaviors and Dependencies (Iças), which point to a 50% increase in alcohol dependence rate In a decade, between 2012 and 2022.
“We passed from an alcohol dependence rate in Portugal from 3% in 2012 to 4.2% in 2022. Therefore, this is very serious and is a problem that has to be really faced and solved,” said Joana Teixeira.
