Drink driving limits and penalties | Findlaw UK Directory

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$( function () { var ids = report_ids.join(','); $.ajax({ type:'POST', cache: false, url: "/index.php?c=article&t=collectReport&ajax=true", data: { ids: ids, type: "none" } }); }); </script> <div class="content"> <h2>Drink driving limits and penalties</h2> <div> <iframe src="https://web.archive.org/web/20160318231851if_/http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http://findlaw.test.catchexception.cz/drink-driving-limits-and-penalties.html&layout=button_count&show_faces=true&width=300&action=like&colorscheme=light&height=80" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:200px; height:20px;" allowtransparency="true"></iframe> </div> <p class="detailSpacer"></p> <p>It is a criminal offence to drive whilst over the legal limit for alcohol consumption. Given the risks associated with drinking alcohol and driving: losing your licence, a fine, possible further criminal sanctions, the effects of drink driving on your social life can be considerable and it could lead to loss of employment. On top of this, drink driving places lives at risk. Yet despite this thousands of people risk drink driving each year, particularly over the festive period.</p><p><strong><em>Legal alcohol limits</em></strong></p><p>The current legal limit for driving with alcohol present in the body is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood or 107 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.</p><p>Clearly, these are not amounts that the average individual will be able to easily calculate. The amount of alcohol that is absorbed into the bloodstream will depend on a number of factors including how much a person has drunk, what they have drunk, how quickly they consumed the drinks, their weight and gender, what they have eaten and how regularly they drink.</p><p>Therefore, attempting to drink alcohol and stay under the limit in order to drive is very difficult to do and potentially a dangerous practice. Since even very small amounts of alcohol can affect driving ability, it is best to err on the side of caution and not drink at all before driving.</p><p><strong><em>Punishments for drink driving</em></strong></p><p>The punishments for drink driving vary according to the degree to which the driver is over the limit, whether this is the first offence, and what damage if any was caused whilst behind the wheel. In any event, an individual will receive a minimum fine of £5,000, a probable disqualification from driving for 12 months and possibly even six months in prison if it was not a first offence or the driver was extremely far over the limit.</p><p>These are the punishments for the offence of drink driving; a conviction for driving recklessly or causing harm to any other person or property while driving under the influence of alcohol will result in more severe punishments.</p><p><strong><em>What constitutes an offence?</em></strong></p><p>Whilst many people are aware of the above and the likely punishments for breaking the law, far fewer are aware that simply by having the engine on in the car, even if not moving it anywhere, still constitutes ‘driving’ for the offence of drink driving. This means that if someone is over the legal limit, but decides they can’t drive and simply turns on the engine to get some heat whilst attempting to sleep off the affects of alcohol; they will still be deemed to be driving and will be guilty of the offence.</p><p>Even if the engine is not on but the keys are in the ignition it is possible that they could still be found guilty of an offence as technically they are still in charge of a motor vehicle whilst over the legal limit.</p><p>If you have been charged with a drink-driving offence, you should speak with a specialist <a href="/web/20160318231851/http://solicitordirectory.findlaw.co.uk/listing/category-search/motoring" title="Find a motoring solicitor">motoring solicitor</a> to obtain the best legal advice.</p> </div>   </div> </div> <div class="span4"> <div class="row-fluid visible-phone"> <div class="span4"> <div class="padding-left padding-right">  </div> </div> </div> <div class="padding-left padding-right"> <div class="hidden-phone"> </div>  <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20160318231851js_/http://maps.google.com/maps?file=api&v=2&key=AIzaSyCV9W54UR_TdK6AwmhAK58rrQ0W0-FLYNc&hl=en" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> function GetUserLocation(location) { var point = new GLatLng( location.coords.latitude, location.coords.longitude ); //var point = new GLatLng( 51.508560, -0.101599 ); var geocoder = new GClientGeocoder(); geocoder.getLocations( point, function(result) { var value = result.Placemark[0]; if( typeof value.AddressDetails !== 'undefined' ) { if( typeof value.AddressDetails.Country !== 'undefined' ) { if( value.AddressDetails.Country.CountryName=='United Kingdom' ) { var locality = ''; if( typeof value.AddressDetails.Country.AdministrativeArea !== 'undefined' ) { locality = value.AddressDetails.Country.AdministrativeArea.Locality.LocalityName+", "+ value.AddressDetails.Country.AdministrativeArea.AdministrativeAreaName; } else if( typeof value.AddressDetails.Country.Locality !== 'undefined' ) { locality = value.AddressDetails.Country.Locality.LocalityName; } if( locality!='' ) { $('#where').val( locality ); $('#quicksearchform')[0].submit(); return; } } } } notEnabled(); }); } function notEnabled() { $('#quicksearchform_wraper').removeClass('hide'); $('#alter_quicksearchform_wraper').addClass('hide'); } $( function () { $('#quicksearchform').submit( function (e) { var $keyword = $('#keyword'); var $where = $('#where'); var _keyword = $keyword.val(); var _where = $where.val(); if(_keyword.length > 0 && _keyword.toUpperCase() == 'E.G. 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Drink driving limits and penalties | Findlaw UK Directory