Drink driving and the legal alcohol limit
9,280 road accidents in 2007 happened when a driver was over the legal limit for alcohol. 2,170 people were killed or seriously injured as a result. (1)
While these figures are high, accidents involving drink driving have decreased hugely over the last 30 years. Deaths and serious injuries related to drink driving have fallen by three-quarters since 1980. (2)
What’s the law on drink driving?
In the UK, the alcohol limit for drivers is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, 35mcg per 100ml of breath or 107mg per 100ml of urine. In most other European countries, the limit is less, usually 50mg per 100ml of blood. (3)
How much can I drink and stay under the limit?
There is no foolproof way of drinking and staying under the limit. How much alcohol will push you over varies from person to person. It depends on: (4)
- Your weight
- Your gender (men tend to process alcohol faster than women)
- Your metabolism
- Your current stress levels
- Whether you’ve eaten recently
- Age (younger people tend to process alcohol more slowly)
What’s the punishment if I get caught drink driving?
Anyone caught drink driving will be banned from the road for at least 12 months, and fined up to £5,000. You can also be sent to prison for up to six months. Imprisonment, the period of disqualification and size of fine depend on the seriousness of the offence. (5)
If you’re caught drink driving more than once in a 10 year period, you’ll be banned for at least three years.
More information on drink driving
- Think! Road Safety campaign website
- The Institute of Alcohol Studies’ factsheet on Drinking and Driving
- Directgov - information on drink driving penalties
References
(1) Department for Transport, ‘Road Casualties Great Britain: 2007 – Annual Report’
(2) Same as above
(3) Road Traffic Act 1988 S1, (11) (2 a-c)
(4) Think! Road Safety
(5) Directgov - Highway Code
- Page last updated by
- Root User, 18 Jun 2010.
