KEY POINTS:
The Prime Minister has revealed that new driver licence holders of any age could soon face a "zero alcohol tolerance" policy.
It is understood the Cabinet will soon discuss a paper that proposes new driving regulations surrounding the issue of alcohol.
A new law would be introduced if the issue went before Parliament.
The office of the Minister of Justice, Mark Burton, is drafting the paper and details are being closely guarded.
But on TVNZ's Agenda show at the weekend, Helen Clark was quizzed about the accident rate among young drivers and why the Government did not simply raise the licence age.
The Prime Minister acknowledged there had been some terrible tragedies. Through most of her life she could recall Monday morning headlines about young people being maimed and killed on roads.
"I don't think it's a new problem," Helen Clark said, "so I think that there are issues about responsible driving, there are issues about alcohol, and one of the things we have been looking at is whether there should be absolutely zero tolerance of any alcohol at all for people who are new licence holders."
Restrictions on the amount of alcohol drivers can consume before taking the wheel are currently set at 30mg/100ml of blood and 80mg/100ml, depending on age.
The age restriction also applies to evidential breath sampling, with limits set at 150mcg and 400mcg of alcohol per litre of breath.
The lower restriction means that drivers under the age of 20 who risk one drink could find themselves over the limit and lose their licence on conviction.
