50 years of drink drive campaigns

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 £70,000 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