The Drink-Drive Limit

The UK drink drive limit is 35mg per 100ml of breath or 80mg in 100ml of blood. Sadly, many young drivers are still drink-driving despite the many drink-drive campaigns launched by the Department of Transport.

So why are people still risking their lives by drink-driving? Perhaps they don’t realise how badly their driving can be affected by being only a little over the legal alcohol limit.

Another problem could be the fact that having a drink drive limit is possibly not the answer to reducing the number of accidents caused by drink-driving. It is difficult to work out how many units are in a drink. Further, alcohol affects people in different ways depending on age, gender, tiredness and so someone may be under the legal limit but the alcohol may still significantly impair their ability to drive.

Further, to be safe, drivers should ensure they are completely sober before driving – including the following day. Most arrests for drink-driving are made the morning after driving and so the morning after is as serious as the day of drinking.

The solution to reducing the number of accidents is if drivers do not drink a single drop of alcohol, if you know you will be driving. Also, leave a significant length of time between drinking and driving – if you had alcohol the night before, do not even contemplate driving the morning after. Perhaps the law must be changed to enforce a complete ban on drinking alcohol before getting in the driver’s seat but for now motorists need to act responsibly.

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