Drink Driving
Drink Driving
No driver should drink and drive – PERIOD. If you’re found guilty of one of the offences of drink driving charges, you will be disqualified from driving. Once the police have discovered that you were over the limit, you have very little chance of getting off.
Drink Driving
There are basically five drink-driving charges:
- Driving or attempting to drive with excess alcohol
- Being in charge of a vehicle with excess alcohol
- Driving or attempting to drive while unfit through drink or drugs
- Being in charge of a vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs
- Failing to give a breath, blood, or urine specimen at a police station or at the roadside
The police can stop and test you if they suspect you’ve taken some alcohol, you’re in an accident, or you’ve committed a moving traffic offence. Even driving with a faulty rear light is enough to do it.
Drink Driving – If you have more than 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood; 107 milligrams in 100 millilitres of urine; or 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, you’re guilty. I don’t know about you, but those figures mean nothing to me in terms of how many glasses of wine or halves of beer you can drink, so if you drink at all and then drive, you’re taking a risk.
The maximum penalties are six months in prison and/or a fine of up to £5,000 and disqualification of at least 12 months, but you may be disqualified for longer if you’ve been disqualified before for drink driving in the past ten years. If you’re a repeat offender and you were well over the limit, you’re likely to go to jail.
It’s highly likely that you’ll be disqualified from driving for drink-driving offences, but you may be able to argue a special case in a few circumstances – such as having to drive in a sudden and unforeseeable emergency or someone laced your drinks. Talk to a solicitor. CAB can give you details of those who deal with criminal cases.
Drink Driving – If you’re found guilty of a drink-driving offence, you may have the period of your disqualification reduced if you agree to go on a special alcohol education programme.