The law relating to drink driving is complicated and given the severity of any potential punishment, expert assistance from a qualified solicitor should always be obtained. Many road users are confused by alcohol levels, drink drive limits and what actually constitutes either driving or being in charge of a vehicle.
There are strict alcohol limits for drivers, but it is impossible to say exactly how many drinks this equals - it is different for each person.
The legal alcohol limit for drivers in the UK is:
35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath
80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood
107 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine
It’s not possible to say how much alcohol you can drink and stay below the limit. There are strict drink driving penalties if you are caught over 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 and your stress levels at the time.
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT WHEN CAUGHT FOR DRINKING AND DRIVING:
A criminal record
A minimum 12 months driving ban or a minimum of a 3 year driving ban if you have a previous drink driving conviction in the past 10 years
The possibility of a short spell in prison (up to 6 months)
The possibility of receiving a community order (this can include, unpaid work, curfew, supervision and treatment orders)
The possibility of a hefty fine (up to £5000)
The possibility of losing your job
Your lifestyle could change drastically
Under Section 4 of the 1988 Road Traffic Act and Section 1 of the 1991 Road Traffic Act, it is an offence to use or be in charge of a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or public place whilst under the influence of drink or drugs.
Conviction will lead inevitably to a driving ban, a fine and potentially other punishments community service, curfew orders and in extreme cases, a prison sentence.
Drinking And Driving -GUIDELINES