Nearly one in six of all deaths on the road involve drivers who are over the legal limit. If you drive at twice the current legal alcohol limit you are at least 50 times more likely to be involved in a fatal car crash compared to a driver who has not been drinking.
If you think you won’t get caught, you’re wrong. Around 100,000 drivers are convicted every year for drink driving *. You don’t have to be in a crash to be breath tested. The police can ask you to take a breath test if they suspect you have been drinking, or if you commit a traffic offence. The legal alcohol limit for driving in the UK is 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.
* www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk
If you’re convicted of drink driving you can face a number of convictions. You could also:
- Lose your job
- Your lifestyle could change dramatically
- You will have higher insurance costs
- During that time you will find it difficult to hire a car or get a job if you are, or hope to become, a professional driver
When will you have had too much?
Any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive safely. The effects can include:
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Slower reactions
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Increased stopping distance
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Poorer judgement of speed and distance
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Reduced field of vision
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Over confident and more likely to take risks, increasing the danger to all road users including yourself.
There is no failsafe guide as to how to stay under the legal alcohol limit or how much you can drink and still drive safely. It depends on your weight, sex, age, metabolism, stress levels, an empty stomach and the amount and type of alcohol. The only safe option is not to drink if you plan to drive.