Police forces are now better equipped than ever to tackle drink and drug driving on Britain's roads, the nation's biggest constabulary has warned.
In a lengthy information page, the Met Police laid out the legal alcohol limit - 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood or 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath in England, Wales and Northern Ireland — before warning that there is "no way to know how much you can drink and stay under the limit". This is because it depends on your weight, age, metabolism, the amount of food you've eaten and other factors. In Scotland, the limit is stricter — 50 milligrams of alcohol in 100ml of blood or 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 ml of breath.
In addition, the Met says, it is impossible to get alcohol out of your system quickly - a shower, a cup of coffee or other ways of "sobering up" may make you feel better but won’t remove the alcohol from your system.
The police warn that it is possible for high levels of alcohol to remain in your system the next day and that you can lose your licence if you are found to be over the legal limit. They advise that the only completely safe option is to "avoid alcohol completely".
The impairments from drug-driving are stark and put drivers at a high risk of causing a collision. It is an offence to drive with any of 17 controlled drugs above a specified level in your blood, though the levels do vary across the substances. The list of substances includes some prescription drugs.
Testing for drugs and alcohol
The Met also laid out the methods they have for detecting both drink and drug drivers. Breathalysing is the gold-standard way of identifying drink drivers. In addition, if you refuse to take a breath test, or fail to supply a sample of breath and don't have a ‘reasonable excuse’, you can be arrested.
Roadside drug tests can also be administered. Officers can test for cannabis and cocaine, and screen for other drugs – including ecstasy, LSD, ketamine and heroin – at a police station.
"Even if you pass the roadside check you may still be arrested if the police suspect that your driving is impaired by drugs," the Met said.
Penalties for being caught
The penalties for drink and/or drug driving are severe and can include:
- a criminal record
- a maximum penalty of six months in prison
- an unlimited fine
- an automatic driving ban of at least one year (three years if you have been convicted twice in 10 years)
Other problems you may face if caught include:
- an endorsement on your driving licence for 11 years
- an increased insurance premium
- if you drive for work, your employer will see your conviction on your licence
- trouble travelling to countries like the USA
If a driver kills someone while under the influence, they can be charged with causing death by careless driving and may face up to 14 years in prison if the offence was committed before 28 June 2022. If the offence was committed on or after 28 June 2022, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment.
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