Drink Driving

There is no excuse. Never drink and drive – not even a drop. Any amount of alcohol will affect your ability to drive safely.

The Statistics

Every week in the UK, 11 people will die as a result of drink driving.
Young men in their 20s are four times more likely to be involved in drink-drive accidents than other age groups.
On average, 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured each year as a result of drink-driving.

Won't get caught? Think again - if you drink and drive, we will catch you.

Cheshire Police officers are highly trained to spot drink drivers and all the tricks they use to avoid being caught.

They can ask you to take a breath test just for suspecting you’ve been drinking or if you commit a traffic offence whilst driving.
You don't need to be involved in a crash.

The Law

It is an offence to drive, attempt to drive, or be in charge of a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or public place while unfit through drink or drugs. You would be considered unfit if your ability to drive properly is impaired (even if the amount of alcohol in your body is within the prescribed limit).

Affects of alcohol on drivers

Alcohol is a depressant and even small amounts (e.g., half a pint) have a dangerous affect on all road users:

Slower reactions and co-ordination
Reduced field of vision
Poorer judgement of speed and distance
Overconfidence and increased risk-taking

It is impossible for drivers to assess their own impairment because it creates a false sense of confidence and means drivers are more inclined to take risks. They believe they are in control when they are not.

It is also impossible to calculate how much alcohol you have in your blood (even if you know exactly how much you have consumed), or how long it will stay in your system. The speed at which alcohol is absorbed into your system (and how quickly your system gets rid of it) depends on a large number of factors, including your sex, weight, metabolism, health and when you last ate.

Always find an alternative

Here are some tips to make sure you don’t become another drink drive statistic:

Book a taxi – the earlier you do this, the better the chance of securing one for exactly when you need it
If you’re drinking with a group of friends, agree from the beginning who will be driving and not drinking (your designated driver).
Use public transport to help you get home.
If you’re at a friend’s house, stay overnight.
Never get into a car driven by someone else who has been drinking.

The morning after…

If you’ve been drinking the night before, you may still be over the legal alcohol limit* or unfit to drive in the morning. Cold showers, cups of coffees, eating and other ‘hangover cures’ won’t make you fit to drive any quicker. Alcohol takes time to get out of your system.

* The legal alcohol limit for driving in the UK is 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood

The cost of drink driving

As a minimum, the consequences of a drink drive court conviction are:

A driving ban of at least 12 months
An endorsement of your driving licence for 11 years
A criminal record

However, you may also be liable to a fine of up to £5,000 and up to 6 months in prison.

But the cost to your work and social life can be crippling:

How are you going to get to work, the shops, the school, go for days out?
Having to sell your car to pay for the fine, or just watch it on the driveway for whilst you are banned.
Having to find a new job – a drink drive conviction is a dismissal offence at lots of companies, and there are plenty of companies that refuse to hire people with criminal records. You’ll also have to explain your criminal record at every job interview.

If you are convicted of:	The maximum penalty is:
Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs	14 years imprisonment, an unlimited fine, disqualification from driving for at least 2 years and a mandatory extended driving test
Driving or attempting to drive whilst above the legal limit or unfit through drink	6 months imprisonment, a fine of up to £5,000 and disqualification from driving for at least 12 months (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years)
Being in charge of a vehicle whilst above the legal limit or unfit through drink	3 months imprisonment, a fine of £2,500 and discretionary disqualification from driving
Refusing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine for analysis	6 months imprisonment, a fine of £5,000 and disqualification from driving for at least 12 months