SAFETY experts are calling for a 'zero tolerance' approach to drink driving in a bid to improve road safety.

It comes after the recent passing of a law banning smoking in a vehicle with anyone under 18 years old, as well as Scotland’s announcement in December 2014 to reduce the drink-drive limit to the ‘zero tolerance’ level of 50mg Blood Alcohol Content (BAC), which mirrors much of Europe.

The UK's current drink-drive allowance is 80mg BAC – one and a half times higher than the 'zero tolerance' figure.

In 2014 alone, alcohol accounted for 5,650 accidents and 8,320 casualties on UK roads and research has shown that an individual is three times more likely to have a road related accident even after just one drink versus being sober.

Suzannah Robin, alcohol safety expert and Sales and Training Manager at AlcoDigital - the UK’s leading supplier of breathalyzers – works with corporate and governmental organisations addressing their alcohol and drug testing needs.

She said: “Based on the current rate of drink-drive related accidents and casualties in the UK there is a very strong argument for lowering the UK’s drink-drive limit to ‘zero tolerance’.

"Smoking in your vehicle clearly has negative health implications and it is right that passengers are protected from inhaling second-hand smoke, however, the dangers associated with having any alcohol in your system whilst driving have sadly been proven over and over again so it makes sense that this shouldn’t be acceptable under any circumstances either.”