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Drink and Drug Driving: Safety Tips and Advice

Drink and drug driving increases over the Christmas period, with alcohol and drugs impairing reaction times, judgment, and focus—significantly increasing the risks on the road. Here’s how you can stay safe on the road this Christmas.

For the complete driving advisory, including detailed tips and recommendations, download the full PDF guide at the bottom of the page. For tips on driving in other dangerous conditions view all of our driving advisories here. 

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The Law

There are certain laws in place to protect road users from accidents related to drink and drug driving.

Alcohol

In Northern Ireland, England, and Wales, the legal drink-drive limit is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, while in Scotland it’s 50mg. However, factors like body size, gender, and food intake mean the only way to absolutely guarantee staying under the limit is by drinking no alcohol.

Medicines and Over-the-Counter Drugs

Driving under the influence also applies to certain prescribed medicines and over-the-counter drugs, with legal limits typically higher than for illegal drugs. It’s crucial to consult a medical professional about dosages to avoid impairment.

Illegal Drugs

It’s illegal to drive with certain drugs in your system. Tiny amounts of eight drug types will result in the driver being arrested. Always avoid driving if under the influence of any substance that could impair your abilities.

The Impairment

  • Drivers with blood alcohol levels between 20-50 mg/100 ml are 3 times more likely to be killed in a crash compared to those with no alcohol.
  • At blood alcohol levels between 50 mg/100 ml and 80 mg/100 ml, the risk of a fatal crash increases to 6 times greater.
  • Drugs can have varying effects on impairment, depending on the substance and its type.
  • There’s no way to predict the exact impact of drugs on driving, but it will always impair driving abilities.

How to avoid drink and drug driving

  • Know Your Drink: Drink sizes and strengths vary in bars and restaurants. Always check what you’ve ordered—if in doubt, don’t risk it.
  • Even Small Amounts Impair: Alcohol, even below legal limits, can affect judgment, reaction times, stopping distances, and vision.
  • Time to Clear Alcohol: A healthy liver needs about an hour to process one unit of alcohol (roughly a third of a pint or large wine).
  • Morning After Risks: Alcohol can stay in your system for hours. A night out could leave you over the limit the next morning, even if you feel fine.
  • Drugs and Medicines: Drugs (including over-the-counter medicines) can impair driving for hours or days, even if you don’t feel affected.

Driving Advisory: Drink and Drug Driving

For more in-depth tips and detailed recommendations, download the full PDF guide. Stay informed and drive safely!

Download The Full Driving Advisory

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