The family of a woman who passed away due to a brain hemorrhage just days after being involved in a drink-driving accident has expressed support for the proposed reductions to the legal drink-drive limit.

Lillie Clack, a 22-year-old from Morden in southwest London, was one of six individuals in a car that overturned and caught fire after colliding with a tree during a police pursuit on Christmas Day 2021.

The driver, Charlie Hilton, was sentenced to prison in 2023 for causing death through dangerous driving and for exceeding the alcohol limit.

Currently, the drink-drive limit in England and Wales stands at 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, which is the highest in Europe alongside Malta. The new proposals suggest lowering this limit to 22 micrograms.

Debbie Clack, Lillie’s mother, remarked: “When my daughter was taken from me, it felt like my heart was torn from my chest—part of me died that day. Lillie was my joy and my spirit.”

She expressed her deep appreciation to the government for addressing this critical issue.

The proposed road safety strategy aims to mandate that some individuals convicted of drink-driving have alcolocks—devices that prevent a vehicle from being operated unless the driver passes a breath test—installed in their cars. These devices are already employed in several countries, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, and the US, in exchange for reduced driving bans.

Additionally, the strategy seeks to empower authorities to suspend driving licenses for those suspected of drink or drug-related driving offenses.

Lillie’s family advocates for an immediate suspension of licenses for anyone who causes a death while driving.

“The core objective of Lillie’s Law is to shield other families from the anguish of knowing that those who take lives while driving are still permitted to drive following such a tragedy,” stated Debbie Clack. “This legislative change would provide families with some assurance, as it would prevent these individuals from legally driving until they have appeared in court, thereby minimizing the risk of further loss of life.”

Other families affected by similar tragedies involving drink-drivers have also pushed for this legislative change.

The government’s strategy aims to lower deaths and severe injuries on UK roads by 65% by 2035, with a target of reducing those figures by 70% for children under the age of 16.

The Department for Transport noted that 22 European nations have achieved “greater success than the UK” in lowering road traffic fatalities.

While the number of road deaths in Britain has generally decreased since the 1970s, the rate of decline has slowed since 2010.

In 1972, there were 7,763 road fatalities; by 2010, that number had dropped to 1,850, which further declined to 1,602 in 2024.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated: “Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy that impacts families and communities profoundly. We are taking significant steps to enhance road safety for everyone. The initiatives we are announcing today are expected to save thousands of lives over the next decade.”

The strategy would align the drink-drive limit in England and Wales with Scotland, which lowered its limit in 2014.

Karen Tyrell, chief executive of the charity Drinkaware, highlighted that the proportion of drink-driving incidents leading to fatalities has nearly doubled since 2015, emphasizing the need for robust enforcement accompanying this change.