A poll conducted for car leasing firm Flexed.co.uk found that many drivers want to see the current limit in England of 35 micrograms of alcohol for every 100 millilitres of breath in England, drivers want to see the limit reduced to at least 22 micrograms to match new Scottish limits, or even bring it down to zero.

• 23% want the limit to stay as it is
• 31% want the limit to be reduced to match the lower Scottish threshold
• 46% want to see the drink-drive limit reduced to zero

Police forces in England and Wales say that – in general – the number of drivers caught drinking and driving fell over the Christmas period. In the West Midlands, for example, 225 failed a breath test or did not provide a specimen, down from 363 during the same period in 2013.

‘Despite the fall in numbers, around one in 10 people breathalysed were over the limit,’ says Flexed.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall. ‘That's a frightening statistic when you sit down and think about it.’

In fact, many drivers support harsher limits and tougher punishments:

• 5% thought punishments for drink-drivers were too harsh
• 31% thought punishments for drink-drivers were about right
• 66% thought courts should be able to impose more serious punishments on drink-drivers
• And several of those questioned thought that drivers over a certain reading, or those who are repeat offenders, should face an immediate custodial sentence.

Hall added that it's time that Parliament stopped worrying about a fictional “war on drivers” and get serious about tackling drink-driving.

‘It's a national problem. Scotland – as usual – has led the way, but we need a national solution.’