Cutting the drink-drive limit would not deter offenders, according to new evidence presented to the Government by trade leaders.
Minister for roads David Jamieson met with experts from Canada last week to discuss a new report which shows a limit cut would have no effect on drink-driving levels in the UK, and could even hinder efforts to stop offenders.
This supports the trade view that Government proposals to cut the limit from 80mg to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, which they fear could severely harm trade in rural pubs, should be shelved.
The new research was conducted by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) in Canada, where a limit cut has also been proposed.
It found that repeat offenders would not be deterred by a lower limit and that police resources would be over-stretched trying to enforce it - allowing some of the hardcore drink-drivers to escape the law.
Herb Simpson, president of TIRF, said: "The arguments in favour of a limit cut tend to be very emotional ones and campaigners usually say 'it can't hurt and it might help so why not?'.
"But there is no compelling scientific evidence that the measure will have any effect on drink-driving accidents and fatalities - it could even have a negative impact."
Mr Simpson added that the UK had a better track record in tackling drink-driving than other EU countries that already have the lower limit.
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) is now preparing its own research on the effects of a limit cut and will be making a submission to the Government shortly.
Mark Hastings, spokesman for the BBPA, said: "The importance of the Canadian research is that it shows that what seems to be the obvious solution is not the right solution."
The foundation also met with MPs from the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group to discuss the issue and made presentations to the police, MEPs in Brussels and road safety campaigners.
MP Doug Henderson, who chaired the meeting of the beer group, said: "I think this report is something all MPs will be interested in. We all want to do something to help tackle drink-driving but tinkering with the limit is not going to have any effect and could make the police's job harder."
The police said earlier this month that they would be supporting a limit cut as part of a package of reforms they want to see passed by the Government.
This followed a sharp rise in the number of drink-drivers over the festive period, the largest in five years.
A campaign by The Publican Newspaper in 1999 prompted over 7,000 licensees and their customers to sign a petition against similar plans to cut the limit.