Your ability to safely drive with alcohol in your system is impaired as: If you regularly go out with the same group, you can take turns. Best of all, many pubs offer free or discounted soft drinks for the designated driver. Only if you exceed the limit can you get a driving ban, a £2,500 fine and even a short jail sentence. The borders of England, Wales and Northern Ireland are as follows: offences can be tried summarily, meaning they can only be tried by the Magistrates` Court, or they can be punishable in both directions, meaning that judges consider their criminal powers insufficient and can bring the case before the Crown Court. The majority of drunkenness offences are summary conviction offences that can only be tried in a district court. Only the most serious offences, such as collision, death or injury, are prosecuted in the Crown Court. The maximum penalty judges can normally impose for „driving a vehicle over the legal limit or unfit for drinking“ is a £2,500 fine, three months` imprisonment or a driving ban. The maximum penalty judges can generally impose for „driving or attempting to drive over the legal limit or inappropriate due to alcohol“ is six months in jail, an unlimited fine or a driving ban of at least 1 year (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years). [101] In theory, the fine is means-tested and disposable income-tested. [102] The lower of the two readings is used to determine if you are over the blood alcohol limit. Note that penalties apply to the lowest reading measured on both breath and blood tests.
For example, if a driver twenty years of age or older has a breath test result of 426 μg/L, but a subsequent blood test yields a blood alcohol level of 0.077%, the driver will not be charged with impaired driving, even if the breath level is above the blood alcohol limit. The penalty for injuring or killing a person under the influence of alcohol is the same as for dangerous driving (up to ten years in prison, up to NZ$20,000 or both, and loss of driving licence for one year or more). [110] Read the full article for a full list of dangerous hot spots and a reminder of the legal limit The safest and best advice is to avoid alcohol altogether if you must drive. And remember, if you drink, there might still be enough alcohol in your system the next morning to mean you`ve gone over the limit and can`t drive safely. Meanwhile, one in seven admitted that even though they didn`t go home after drinking too much, they got in the car with someone who did. Have a specific driver. Choose a friend or family member who doesn`t drink alcohol for the evening to get you home safely, or be that person yourself. The New Zealand system is based on age. [108] The limits are as follows: former England captain Wayne Rooney was arrested for impaired driving – and subsequently pleaded guilty. The boundaries in Scotland are different from the rest of the UK. When asked why they had exceeded the limit in the past, one in five (19%) drunk drivers responded with concern: „They didn`t think they would get caught.“ You can expect jail time, a fine and a driving ban if you are convicted of impaired driving.
Motorists in London are most likely to drive under the influence of alcohol after a party, with almost one in five (18%) having done so at least once, according to a survey by experts at iCompario. And Liverpool ace Roberto Firmino was suspended for 12 months in February 2017 after being caught on the wrong side of the road and above the legal blood alcohol limit. There are strict alcohol limits for drivers, but it`s impossible to tell exactly how many drinks this corresponds to – it`s different for each person. Scottish rules mean that a single drink can take you over the limit. If you think you`re going to drink, take a taxi or public transport. It`s a good idea to make sure you have the number or app stored on your phone and that you have enough battery for the night. It`s impossible to judge whether it`s safe to drive after drinking alcohol, so it`s best not to have any before you get behind the wheel.
