DRINK DRIVING LIMIT
We have Achieved not guilty verdicts for
92%
of Clients†
†From 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2025 we have achieved 92% NOT GUILTY verdicts for alcohol and drug cases overall.
The Drink Driving Limit
There are strict alcohol limits for drivers, but it’s impossible to say exactly how many drinks this equals to because each person is different.
The drink driving limits in Scotland are different to the rest of the UK.
The Drink Driving Limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is:
35 Micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath; or
80 Milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood; or
107 Milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.
The Drink Driving Limit in Scotland is:
22 Micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath; or
50 Milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood; or
67 Milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.
Do you want to talk to the Drink Driving Solicitors who from 1st January 2021 until 31st December 2025…
Breath Drink Driving Cases Achieved Not Guilty verdicts for 87% of Clients†
Blood Drink Driving Cases won 94%
Drug Driving Sample Cases won 98%
Urine Drink Driving Cases won 100% since 2018
Failing to Provide a Specimen Cases won 91%
*( 80% in 2025 where an attempt was made )
AND won 92% of our Alcohol and Drug related cases overall!
Call Us Now on Freephone
Request A Call Back
Fill in your name and telephone number and we will call you back.
Rest assured all data transferred on Motoroffence.co.uk is secured using a trusted SSL Certificate.
Please note we only deal with motoring cases in England and Wales and are unable to assist with cases in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
First of all, the UK drink driving limit has been the source of debate for as long is it was first introduced. Perhaps now, more than ever, the legal alcohol limit in the UK is the subject of scrutiny, due to both Ireland and Scotland making the bold move to lower the blood alcohol limit for motorists in the UK to fit in line with the majority of European countries.
The debate continues, with campaigners pushing for stricter regulations and government reviews considering potential changes to align with lower limits seen across Europe.
Council Guidelines Drink Driving Penalty
So what is the UK drink driving limit?
Definition of a Drink Driving Offence in the UK: It is an offence to drive or attempt to drive a motor vehicle on a road, or other public place after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in a person’s breath exceeds the prescribed limit under. S 5. Road Traffic Act 1988.
Consequently, if you are facing a charge of driving with excess alcohol. The Prosecution will have to prove that you were driving with excess alcohol in your breath, urine or blood. Therefore, the present drink driving limits in the UK are as follows:
- 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 ml of breath
- 80mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood
- 107mg of alcohol in 100 ml of urine
When a police officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that a person is driving with excess alcohol. For that reason, he can require that person to perform a roadside breath test. Most importantly, if this provides a positive reading the police will arrest the driver and take them to a police station for a further “evidential test”.
If you are facing a drink driving charge, understanding the legal process and your rights is essential. Seeking expert legal advice at an early stage can significantly impact the outcome of your case.
Ordinarily if the drink driving evidential sample is a breath test
Furthermore, the police constable must follow stringent procedures. Therefore, they must obtain two specimens of analysed breath tests and which exceed 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. Also, if you blow 39 or less, it is likely that the police will exercise their discretion and release you without charge.
However, if both readings exceed 40 micrograms of alcohol, it is likely that the police will simply proceed to charge the driver with being over the drink driving limit. As a result, the driver must attend Court at a later date once bailed.
In April 2015 the procedure for offering a secondary blood or urine test to replace a borderline breath reading was abolished. That said, if the procedures the police must follow continue to be intricate and this is where our expertise could make the difference in saving your licence.
If you are facing a charge for being over the drink driving limit but were taken to hospital and this is where you gave your sample. Most importantly, please take a look at our drink driving hospital cases page and contact our expert drink driving solicitors today.
When was the UK drink driving limit introduced?
In 1965, due to the number of drink driving road accidents, the government introduced a drink driving limit in Britain. Furthermore, in 1966 a new Road Safety Bill stated the blood alcohol limit was set to 80mg of alcohol in 100cc of blood. This was in the hope that people take more care on the roads and protect themselves as well as other drivers and pedestrians. In 1967 the Transport Minister Barbara Castles introduced the breathalyser to test a drivers’ blood alcohol level.
The first breathalysers were also introduced that year meaning that the process of detecting motorists became much more streamlined than before. However, although it dramatically reduced the number of accidents caused by drink driving, the government still led campaigns to promote the ‘Don’t drink and drive’ message.
This campaign continues today. 2015 has seen the biggest shake up in drink driving limit law since the introduction of breath testing devices. Furthermore, in April 2015 saw the removal of the statutory option of a motorist’s breath sample with an optional blood or urine sample if the breath sample was borderline over the limit at 50 g or below in breath.
However, despite this removal of a safeguard for the accused, the pressure to review and reduce the drink driving limit is mounting more than ever before.
Why lower the drink driving limit?
It may seem an obvious question but when we analyse the countries that have already taken this step, it seems that investing more heavily in education would make more sense. Rather than spending millions on a further law change that would undoubtedly criminalise otherwise law abiding motorists.
Ireland were the first to make the move to lower the drink driving limit back on 8th October 2012. They reduced the level of alcohol permitted from 0.8 (80 mgs/100mls) to 0.5 (50mg/100mls). They also introduced a further lower limit of 0.2 (20 mgs/ 100mls) “specified” drivers listed below:
| Lower Limit of 0.2 (20 mgs/ 100mls) for “Specified” Drivers |
|---|
| A holder of a learner permit |
| Holder of a first driver licence (for category of vehicle being driven) within 2 years of issue |
| Holder of a C, C1, D, D1, EB, EC, EC1, ED, ED1 or W category |
| Holder of a SPSV licence whilst driving in the course of business |
| Person not holding a driving licence for the category of vehicle being driven |
| Furthermore if no licence is produced at scene, the person is tested at the lower limit |
Reports suggest that despite the limit being lowered, the attitude of Irish motorists towards the drink driving limit has been mixed. With a campaign to allow motorists to drink drive in rural areas being taken to the highest level!
Scotland introduced the lower drink driving limit of 50mg of alcohol in every 100ml of blood at the end of 2014. This was in an effort to reduce the number of alcohol related accidents and fatalities. However, there have been numerous reports since then that the reduction in the drink driving limit has not had the intended effect and offending rates are no different from before the limit was reduced.
Is it time for Brits to shut up and drive (without the drink?!)
Regardless of the arguments for and against lowering the UK drink driving limit. There is no getting away from the fact that along with Malta, we have the highest blood alcohol limit in Europe. Most importantly, as shown in this table below with alcohol limits shown in grams per litre.
It is also notable that many other countries have lower drink driving limit levels for commercial and novice drivers.
| Country | Standard | Commercial drivers | Novice drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Belgium | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| Bulgaria | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Croatia | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Cyprus | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Czech Republic | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Denmark | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Estonia | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Finland | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| France | 0.5 | 0.5 (0.2 bus drivers) | 0.2 (from Jul 2015) |
| Germany | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Greece | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Hungary | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ireland | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Italy | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Latvia | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Lithuania | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 (from Jan 2015) |
| Luxembourg | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Malta | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Netherlands | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Poland | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Portugal | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Romania | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Slovakia | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Slovenia | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Spain | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Sweden | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| UK [i] | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Switzerland | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
[i] Scotland 0,5 as of December 2014 for all groups. The rest of the UK (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) remain unchanged.
Last updated: July 2015 from The European Transport Safety Council.
-
Not Sure What to Do About Your Drink Driving Offence?
Most people who get in touch with our team of drink driving solicitors are uncertain of their options. They are unaware of any legal defences that may be available and find it difficult to believe that it might be possible to defend being over the drink driving limit they face, by using loopholes that apply to the rich and famous! Most importantly, we do represent celebrities but we also represent many hardworking motorists like Brian and we want to help you make the right choice about what you do next about your drink driving limit charge.
We are always more than happy to chat things through with potential clients Free of Charge. Call us now on Freephone 0800 1389 123 to speak to one of our drink driving limit offence solicitors. It is only once you decide to instruct us that payment will become necessary and we can often arrange instalment plans to assist you. Most importantly, many satisfied clients have thanked us for offering this free consultation service. Because it has prevented them from following inaccurate non-expert advice which could have led to them accepting a driving ban unnecessarily.
Browse our site and get in touch
If you would like to spend more time browsing on the site before you get in touch, make sure you have a look at our specialist motor offence guidance features such as our drink driving ban calculator. This will help you to determine the drink driving penalty you may face if convicted.
We think we are simply the best in the business but if you are not satisfied in taking our word for it. Our unique “ask our clients” testimonials scheme allows you to contact previous clients of the firm to seek a completely independent reference about us and what we might be able to do for you.
Call Us Now Free on 0800 1389 123
Call Geoffrey Miller Solicitors 24 hours 7 days a week
Geoffrey Miller Solicitors are specialists defending drivers nationwide for all types of driving offences. Call our team of expert driving offence solicitors for some free initial advice.
You can also book an appointment with Jeanette Miller a.k.a. Miss Justice using our online booking system. If Jeanette is unavailable for your preferred date and time you can book an appointment with a member of our legal team. Please have as much information about your enquiry before the call e.g. Date of Hearing, Paperwork etc.
CALCULATORs
DRINK DRIVING BAN CALCULATOR
The Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines is a tool used by the Magistrates to decide on penalty. Try our drink driving ban calculator or our speeding ban calculator to give you a rough idea of the penalty you could incur, including potential disqualification periods based on your alcohol reading and case circumstances.
DRINK DRIVING COST CALCULATOR
Based on our 2020 market research, you can use this form to calculate the likely costs, including fines, legal fees, and the long-term increase in car insurance premiums if convicted of drink driving. Understanding the financial impact can help you make informed decisions about your case.
OTHER CALCULATOR
TOOLS
Use our calculator tools to find out what motoring offence penalties or financial costs you could be facing if convicted. Whether you’re concerned about fines, points, or driving bans, these tools provide a quick estimate based on your situation.
Ask Our Clients
Still not sure if you should instruct us to help you?
Try our Interactive Testimonial Scheme – “Ref Me” is a voluntary scheme we ask satisfied clients to participate in. Where you see the “Ask Our Clients” form, you can send an email to a previous client of the firm and ask them any question(s) you like about us.
PRICING STRUCTURE
We have developed a number of pricing structures to suit clients on most income levels. To some clients, minimising the level of their legal costs is as important as achieving your objective with an acquittal or damage limitation on penalty. The Finest Bronze Package is the lowest cost option we offer to all clients who wish to receive the very best legal representation but at a competitive price. Our goal is to provide clarity on costs upfront, so you know exactly what to expect.
