Driving under the influence of alcohol is a threat to road safety. In 2013, the estimated number of road deaths in the Netherlands due to alcohol was between 60 and 135. The legal limit for novice drivers in the Netherlands is a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.2 g/l and a BAC of 0.5 g/l for all other drivers. Young males and heavy drinkers form the most important risk groups for drink-driving. For years, only the group of relatively light drinkers declined among all drivers under the influence of alcohol in the Netherlands. Of late the group of serious offenders also seems to be declining. This is a positive road safety development as serious alcohol offenders are involved in about two-thirds of all alcohol-related crashes.
Measures like increased enforcement among heavy drinkers and the introduction of an alcolock programme can benefit road safety. In addition visible police controls of all drivers continue to be necessary to maintain the general preventive effect of alcohol controls.