Do you know the limit?

Do you know the legal limit?

With 25% of Scots recently admitting to having no idea what number of drinks would put you over the limit, it seems that the answer to this question for many of us is no.

The legal limit
The legal limit is currently 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, but how do you know when you are over the limit? Many people think they can have a couple of pints and are still okay to drive, but the truth is two large glasses of wine or pints of strong lager could be more than enough to take you over the limit. With some pubs now serving 35ml measures rather then 25ml, and the steady increase in strength of continental lager, it’s getting even harder to judge what will keep you under the limit. Moreover, with 1 in 9 deaths on Scotland’s roads involving drivers who are over the limit it’s a pretty serious gamble to take.

High chances of being caught
Many people think they will never get caught but, with more and more drivers being stopped and breathalysed, even on Scotland’s most rural roads, the chances of getting caught are actually higher than ever, and Scotland’s police forces are keen to stamp out something which as been illegal for over 40 years, with amazing success.

Consequences
If you are caught drink-driving, you WILL lose your licence for at least a year, you face up to fourteen years imprisonment, and you get a criminal record for 20 years, or until you are 40 (whichever is longer). Therefore, if you’re convicted of drink driving on your 18th birthday you’ll have a criminal record for the next 22 years. A drink-driving convictions means you may be refused car insurance, will almost certainly have to pay much higher insurance premiums, and it may affect your chances of employment. It may even affect your holiday plans as visiting countries like the USA becomes much more difficult when you have a criminal record.

Being convicted of drink-driving may also mean losing the respect of friends and family. In fact, drivers who do it are considered ‘losers’ by most people.

The message is simple, don’t risk it. Never drink before driving. Think about how much it cost to get your licence, and don’t throw it away so easily.

Here are some tips on staying safe on your way home
after a night out drinking:
- Arrange for a friend or family member to pick you up
- Arrange to crash at a friend’s place for the night.
- Take a bus or taxi.
- Have a designated driver and ensure the driver doesn’t drink anything at all.
..If they do, leave the car and get a taxi.

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