The dangers of driving over the limit
Spending time with friends is something many of us enjoy. But if your plans include drinking alcohol, it’s important to think about how this could affect you the next day – especially if you’re planning to drive.
Driving after drinking, even the morning after, can put you and others at serious risk. Understanding how alcohol affects your body and your driving can help you make safer choices.
What is the legal drink driving limit?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the legal limit is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. In Scotland, the limit is 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Even if you are below the legal limit, alcohol can still affect your ability to drive safely.
Find more information on drink driving limits.
Drinking the night before and driving the next day
Many people assume that a night’s sleep is enough to make them fit to drive. But alcohol can stay in your system for longer than you might expect. How quickly alcohol leaves your body varies from person to person. Factors include your weight, age, metabolism and how much you’ve had to drink. As a rough guide, the body processes around one unit of alcohol per hour, but this can vary and isn’t a reliable way to calculate when you’re safe to drive.
If you’ve been drinking heavily, it’s safest to avoid driving the next day.
“I feel fine – can I still drive?”
Feeling fine doesn’t always mean you’re safe to drive. Even small amounts of alcohol can affect:
- Reaction times
- Concentration
- Judgement
- Coordination
Everyone reacts differently to alcohol, and there’s no reliable way to judge whether you are under the limit based on how you feel. If you’re planning to drive, the safest option is not to drink at all.
What affects how alcohol impacts you?
The effect alcohol has on your body can vary depending on:
- Your weight
- Your age
- Your sex
- Whether you’ve eaten
- The strength and amount of alcohol consumed
Because of these differences, it’s difficult to link the legal limit to a specific number of drinks.
Learner drivers and supervising drivers
The law applies to all drivers, including learners. If you’re caught driving or attempting to drive over the limit, you could face serious consequences, including:
- A driving ban
- A fine
- A criminal record
- In some cases, a prison sentence
Anyone supervising a learner driver must also stay within the legal limit. They are treated the same as the driver under drink driving laws.
Possible penalties for drink driving
Penalties depend on the offence, but can include:
- Up to 3 months in prison, a fine and a possible driving ban for being in charge of a vehicle while over the limit
- Up to 6 months in prison, an unlimited fine and a driving ban of at least 1 year for driving or attempting to drive while over the limit
- Penalties for refusing to provide a breath, blood or urine sample
A drink driving conviction can also increase the cost of your insurance and make it harder to get cover in the future.
Should I drive if I feel hungover?
Even if you’re no longer over the legal limit, a hangover can still affect your driving. Common symptoms like tiredness, reduced concentration and slower reactions can make driving more dangerous.
If you’re not feeling fully alert, it’s best to avoid driving until you feel fit to do so.
Driving lessons and alcohol
Driving instructors may refuse a lesson if they believe a learner is unfit to drive, including if they appear to be under the influence of alcohol or still affected by it.
If you’ve been drinking the night before and have a lesson planned, it’s safer to reschedule.
How alcohol affects your driving
Alcohol affects your body in several ways that can make driving unsafe:
- It slows down brain function, reducing reaction times and concentration
- It can narrow your field of vision
- It may affect coordination and judgement
- It can cause blurred or double vision
These effects can increase the risk of accidents, even if you feel in control.
Staying safe on the road
If you’re planning to drive:
- Avoid drinking alcohol altogether
- Plan ahead, especially for nights out
- Give yourself enough time to recover before driving
If you’ve been drinking, don’t take the risk.
Stay off the road – and if you need to drive, stay off the drink.
Final thought
Drink driving doesn’t just affect you – it puts everyone on the road at risk.
Making the right choice before you get behind the wheel helps keep you, your passengers and other road users safe.