Drink Driving Statistics • On average 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured each year in drink drive collisions.
• Nearly one in six of all deaths on the road involve drivers who are over the legal alcohol limit.
• Drinking and driving occurs across a wide range of age groups but particularly among young men aged 17-29 in both casualties and positive breath tests following a collision. The Government's most recent drink drive campaigns aims to target this group.
• The latest provisional figures from 2004, show that some 590 people were killed in crashes in which a driver was over the legal limit, 2,350 were seriously injured and 14,050 were slightly injured.
• And if you think you won't get caught, more than half a million breath tests are carried out each year and on average 100,000 are found to be positive.
Drinking and Driving Don't Mix
• The legal limit in the UK is 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. However, any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive safely. The effects can include:
o slower reactions
o increased stopping distance
o poorer judgement of speed and distance
o reduced field of vision
• Alcohol also tends to make you feel over-confident and more likely to take risks when driving, which increases the danger to all road users, including yourself.
• There is no failsafe guide as to how to stay under the legal alcohol limit or how much you can drink and still drive safely. It depends on:
o your weight, sex, age, metabolism
o stress levels
o an empty stomach
o the amount and type of alcohol
• The only safe option is not to drink if you plan to drive. Never offer a drink to someone else who is driving The Morning After • If you've been out drinking you may still be affected by alcohol the next day. You may feel OK, but you may still be unfit to drive or over the legal alcohol limit.
• You could still lose your licence if you drive the next day when you're still over the legal alcohol level.
• It's impossible to get rid of alcohol any faster. A shower, a cup of coffee or other ways of 'sobering up' will not help. It just takes time.
The Law • Driving or attempting to drive whilst above the legal limit or unfit through drink carries a maximum penalty of 6 months' imprisonment, a fine of up to £5,000 and a minimum 12 months driving ban.
• An endorsement for a drink-driving offence remains on a driving licence for 11 years, so it is 11 years before a convicted driver will have a "clean" licence again.
• Being in charge of a vehicle whilst over the legal limit or unfit through drink could result in 3 months' imprisonment plus a fine of up to £2,500 and a driving ban.
• The penalty for refusing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine for analysis is a maximum 6 months' imprisonment, up to £5000 fine and a driving ban of at least 12 months.
• Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison, a minimum 2 year driving ban and a requirement to pass an extended driving test before the offender is able to drive legally again.
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