Drivers ages 17 to 20 should not be allowed to legally operate motor vehicles with any detectable level of alcohol in their bodies, according to Sir Liam Donaldson, chief medical officer in England.

The BBC reported July 14 that Donaldson said that the legal blood-alcohol level for young drivers should be cut from .08 percent to zero in order to improve traffic safety.

"Young people have enough difficulty when they first start driving learning the skills on the road, they don't need the complication of drink as well," he said.

Some states in the U.S. and Australia already have zero-tolerance policies in place regarding alcohol use among underage drivers.