Drink
& DRUGS D
RINK, DRUGS AND driving don’t mix. Fortunately young people tend to drink less than their parents. According to a recent survey, just one-in-ten see getting drunk as “cool”. Four-in-ten see it as “pathetic” or “embarrassing”. So, if your mates think you’re an idiot as you stagger home from the pub, imagine how they’ll react if you reach for your car keys? Most drivers, young or old, wouldn’t dream of drinking and driving. But
104 | firstcar.co.uk
there’s still a core of offenders who think they will get away with it, or simply don’t care. And their recklessness led to an estimated 230 deaths in 2019, according to government statistics. Drug driving is just as serious. Driving with more than the specified level of 17 legal and illegal drugs is against the law. Even small quantities could put you over the limit, and might interfere with medicines used to try to save your life if you crash.
DRINK & THE LAW The maximum permitted level of blood alcohol while driving in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. In Scotland it’s 50mg/100ml. Even small amounts of alcohol will affect your driving, and it’s easy to be over the limit the morning after a night out. So the best advice is to avoid alcohol completely if you are driving. Get caught over the limit, and you could face... ✪ six months in prison ✪ an unlimited fine ✪ a driving ban for at least a year.
