With lockdown restrictions easing, there are more gatherings, nights out, and trips to the pub, however this also means that sadly drink driving is a lot more common. It is important to remember that drink driving can slow down your bodies responses and therefore make driving dangerous.
Alcohol affects everyone differently depending on age, weight and tolerance however the most common effects of alcohol are the brain taking longer to receive messages from the eyes. In England and Wales the alcohol limit for drivers is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath or 107 milligrams per 100 millilitres of urine. However, this doesn’t mean there is a safe ‘amount’ of alcohol to drink before driving as alcohol affects everyone differently and so even a small amount of alcohol can affect your driving. If you are going to drink alcohol it’s best to get a taxi or a lift home with someone who hasn’t drunk alcohol.
What many people aren’t aware of, is that it’s more common for drivers to be convicted of drink driving the morning after the night out before, as the effects of high amounts of alcohol during the night are still present the next day, even if you have slept or had something to eat. In general, alcohol is removed from the blood at the rate of about one unit an hour. But this varies from person to person. However, all you can do is wait, as surprisingly having a coffee or cold shower will not remove the alcohol from your body any quicker. If you’re thinking about driving the morning after you have been drinking, it’s best to consider how much you had consumed, and how late into the night it was before you finished your last drink.
So, what happens if you get caught drink driving?
Drunk drivers face a number of penalties depending on the seriousness of their offence. Anyone caught over the legal alcohol limit when driving will usually be disqualified from driving for a minimum of 12 months, and fined up to £5,000. You could be sent to prison for up to six months if your reading is particularly high. Imprisonment, the period of disqualification, size of fine and penalty points depend on the seriousness of the offence. If you’re caught drink driving more than once in a 10 year period, you’ll be banned from driving for at least three years.
If you find yourself in need of advice or assistance while at the police station or the Court, please contact us 24/7 on 01702 342525 at Paul
