With anti-drink driving campaigns more focused over the festive period, a great concern surrounds the subjectivity of alcohol limits for UK drivers.
Archived content
This article has been archived and the content may be out of date.
Use the link below if you still wish to view this article.
As explored on our MotoPro website FAQ, the legal alcohol limit in England and Wales constitutes either:
- 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath;
- 80 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood; or
- 107 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine.
Yet there are a number of factors which could result in a drink-driving charge, even if you only consume the recommended limit before getting behind the wheel. As explained by Kath Pavitt,
‘A lot of offenders don’t understand how alcohol affects you and how long it stays in the system.’
This is because there are numerous ways alcohol can affect you as an individual; as well as age, weight and gender distorting unit guidelines for different men and women, more specific factors such as metabolism, stress levels and what you’ve eaten in the time before, after and during alcohol consumption can all affect whether or not you will read as over the limit if stopped by the police for a test.
In fact, despite the Christmas anti drink-driving campaign being in full effect, 56 people alone have been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving by Thames Valley Police. There is also a common misconception of likely offenders, but with the ages of those arrested ranging from 19-63, and the average age standing at 35, drink-driving charges can really happen to anyone.
For a lot of people, a drink-driving conviction is a nasty surprise and the everyday consequences of being caught are potentially life-ruining. If caught drink-driving, the court issues a mandatory driving ban lasting a minimum of 12 months. Not only can acquiring a criminal offence be embarrassing and upsetting, it may also affect your employment, independence and ability to visit other countries.
For a lot of solicitors and especially here at TLW Solicitors, the aim is to provide you with the best advice and representation possible.There are many extenuating circumstances in which a drink driving charge can warrant further investigation or in the best case scenario, dismission from the court.
Getbucks reported that a little less than half of the 56 motorists arrested on suspicion of drink driving since the beginning of December have since been released on bail for further inquiry. This shows that a drink driving investigation can take time and bring you considerable worry and anxiety over the outcome.
In the event you find yourself in this situation, there are options. Whether you fear an inaccurate alcohol-level reading or observe the police acting outside of their powers, the expert motoring solicitors at MotoPro can explore the effect this will have on your chances of being convicted.
Our aim is to keep your licence at all costs. If you are in need of experienced legal representation in the event of a drink-driving charge, give us a call and use our free telephone consultation to explore your options.
TLW Solicitors pledge to:
- Always fight your corner.
- Explain anything you don't understand.
- Provide full transparency on our charges.
- Never ask for any upfront payment.
- Recover the best compensation we can.
- Keep your personal information safe.
- Respond quickly to any queries.
