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Driving whilst drunk causes the death of more than 3,000 people per year, with one in seven deaths on the road caused by drivers who are over the legal limit. We all know that it is illegal to drink drive and these days there is definitely a stigma attached to getting behind the wheel after an alcoholic drink. However, many people are still unclear about the legal limit. Some believe that it’s ‘ok’ to have one drink and then drive, others think it depends on the size of the person who has been drinking and others think that it depends on whether you’ve eaten. The truth is that it is not safe to drink and drive at all.
Legal limits
The legal limit above which you must not drive is 35 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath or 80 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood. Whilst many believe that it is fine to have one unit of alcohol, in other words one drink, there is no way to work out how much alcohol can be drunk whilst remaining in the ‘safe’ zone, below the legal limit. Everyone has a different reaction to alcohol so even if you have had one unit (a glass of wine, a measure of spirit or half a pint of beer), you may be over the limit. The only safe option is to not drink and then drive at all.
Driving the morning after
The morning rush hour is a crucial time of day for the police to catch drink drivers as alcohol consumed from the previous night is still in the drivers’ system. If you had around 200 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in your system when you went to bed you may still have 90 milligrams per 100 millilitres in your system when you leave for work the next day at 8.00 am. This is still over the drink drive limit. If you have been drinking the night before don’t risk it, chances are you will still be breaking the law and risking your life. There is no way of speeding up the process of getting alcohol out of your system. Drinking coffee and water doesn’t work.
The rules on breath testing
The police have the right to test your breath for alcohol in various circumstances. They are:
Penalties for drink driving
If you are convicted after being caught for drink driving, the penalties can be severe. If addition to the risk of causing a fatal accident, drink drivers should also consider the legal implications of getting behind the wheel of a car after drinking alcohol.
Drug driving
Drug driving is the less talked about of the two driving offences but is no less serious. Being under the influence of drugs is just as dangerous as drink driving and the penalties received by drug drivers are similar. The police can carry out a series of roadside impairment tests to see if you are fit to drive. If you are caught drug driving then you will receive a minimum of one years driving ban, a fine of up to £5,000 and up to six months in prison. Some of the effects of drugs upon the body are as follows:
Any of the above symptoms could cause a fatal car accident.
It is never safe to drink and drive or to take drugs and drive, yet many people do still do this and believe that they are invincible or in some way above the law. Unfortunately the physical impairment that comes hand in hand with drinking or recreational drug taking can cause misery. Many people sadly die every year at the hands of a driver who was unfit to be behind the wheel in the first place.
Personal injury
If you have been involved in an accident that someone else caused, then you are legally entitled to make a compensation claim. At YouClaim we can help you to get personal injury compensation so that you can move on with your life. Call us now on 0800 10 757 95 for free legal advice without any obligation to continue. If you prefer you can fill in our online claim form and we will call you back.
