THINK! Drink Drive 2015 campaign. This campaign targets those who are tempted to drink ‘a couple’ before driving and shows how a second drink could double your chance of being in a fatal collision. However, the safest thing to do is to not drink any alcohol before driving.
The facts
- Drink driving is illegal and puts lives at risk.
- It is not possible to say how much alcohol you can drink and stay below the limit. The way alcohol affects you depends on:
- your weight, age, sex and metabolism (the rate your body uses energy)
- the type and amount of alcohol you’re drinking
- what you’ve eaten recently
- your stress levels at the time
- So if you’re driving, it’s better to have none for the road.
- IAM RoadSmart calculates that a drink drive conviction could cost up to £70,00 as a result of fines, solicitors fees, increase in the cost of car insurance, and losing a job.
The law
There are strict alcohol limits for UK drivers:
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the legal alcohol limit for drivers is:
- 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath
- 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood
- 107 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine
In Scotland (from 5 December 2014), the legal alcohol limit for drivers is lower at:
- 22 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath
- 50 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood
- 67 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.
The consequences
There are strict penalties if you are convicted of drink driving, including:
- a minimum 12 month driving ban
- a criminal record
- an unlimited fine
- up to 6 months in prison
- an endorsement on your licence for 11 years
The maximum penalty for causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs is 14 years in prison, with a minimum driving ban of two years.
In addition to these penalties are the everyday consequences of being caught drink driving which can include:
- increase in car insurance costs
- job loss
- trouble getting in to countries like the USA
- the shame of having a criminal record
- loss of independence