Drinking and Driving
You can't calculate your alcohol limit - so don't try.
The current legal limit for driving in the UK is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. In most European countries, the legal limit is lower at 50mg.
There is no failsafe guide as to how much you can drink and stay under the current limit. The amount and type of alcoholic drink, and your weight, sex, age and metabolism will all play their part.
The only safe course is not to drink and drive.
The quantity of alcohol in a half pint of beer is approximately the same as in a pub measure of spirits or a pub measure of port/sherry or a small glass of wine.
It is important to note that:
- Many beers and wines are stronger than average
- Drinks poured at home are usually more generous than pub measures
- Cocktails are especially potent; their high alcoholic content is often masked by the taste of fruit juice.
At twice the current legal limit you are at least 50 times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident.
- Any alcohol, even a small drink, will impair driving ability.
- Alcohol takes effect quickly but wears off slowly.
- The only safe course is not to drink and drive.
- Alcohol is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, affecting the brain and impairing driving ability.
After drinking a half pint of ordinary strength beer:
10 minutes
After just 10 minutes, 50% of the alcohol consumed will have been absorbed into the bloodstream.
60 minutes
After an hour all the alcohol will have been absorbed.
Absorption is accelerated still further when drinking on an empty stomach. Long drinks made with mixers have a faster effect as they enter the bloodstream quicker.
Getting rid of alcohol
Midnight
At midnight, after an evening's drinking there may be 200mg/100ml of alcohol in the blood.
7.30am
On getting up, there is still 90mg/100ml. You are still over the current legal limit and unfit to drive.
Midday
By lunchtime, elimination has continued to around 20mg/100ml. Your driving may still be impaired.
It is impossible to speed up alcohol elimination. Neither a shower, nor a cup of coffee, nor other ways of "sobering up" will help. It just takes time.
Getting rid of alcohol is a much slower process requiring hours rather than minutes.
Any alcohol, even a small drink, will impair driving ability.
Any amount of alcohol will affect your judgement
Nearly one in seven of all deaths on the road involve drivers who are over the current legal limit. The risk of being involved in an accident increases rapidly with the amount of alcohol consumed.
Many motorists believe they are safe to drive if they are below the current legal limit. They are wrong. Even one drink will have an effect on driving ability and on your judgement, starting with your judgement about whether you should have another drink:
- You may not be able to judge speed and distance accurately.
- Your ability to react may be severely affected, which will increase stopping distances.
- Your judgement of risk may be affected and you may have a tendency to be overconfident and put yourself in danger.
Drinking and driving has lasting consequences
Legal Consequences
Offences maximum penalty
Causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs - 10 years imprisonment and a disqualification of at least two years.
Driving or attempting to drive while over the legal limit or unfit through drink - 6 months imprisonment plus a fine of £5000 and a disqualification of at least 12 months (3 years automatic ban if convicted twice in ten years).
In charge of a vehicle while above the current legal limit or unfit through drink - 3 months imprisonment plus a fine of £2500 and a disqualification.
Refusing to provide a specimen - 6 months imprisonment plus a fine of £5000 and a disqualification of at least 12 months
If convicted of a drink drive offence you may be referred to a rehabilitation course.
Other Consequences:
- Criminal record
- Possible loss of livelihood
- Increased insurance costs
- Extreme difficulty in hiring a car for around ten years
- Legal expenses
- Loss of personal transport and increased travel expenses
- Effect on family life
- Living with your conscience
- Living with the knowledge that your irresponsibility has caused death, injury or severe distress to innocent people
High risk offender
You will become a high risk offender if:
- You refuse to provide a specimen, or
- You are convicted at 2 ½ times the current limit, or
- You are convicted twice in ten years, in which case you will be banned from driving for a minimum of 3 years.
In all these cases, you will have to satisfy an approved doctor that you do not have a drink problem before you can get your license back (and you will have to pay for the medical).
3500 people are killed or seriously injured each year in drink drive accidents
The only safe course is to not drink and drive
Any alcohol, even a small drink, will impair driving ability
You don't need to mix drinking and driving
Drinking and driving is dangerous and irresponsible. You don't have to mix the two
Avoid the problem:
- Never offer an alcoholic drink to a driver
- Stick to non alcoholic and soft drinks
- Arrange for someone who is not drinking to drive
- Take a taxi
- Use public transport
- Stay overnight