Road safety
Drink driving
Staffordshire Police and its partners are committed to reducing deaths and injuries caused by drinking and driving.
Through enforcement and education, work is constantly going on to bring these drivers before the courts and to reduce the numbers who offend.
Every time police attend a road traffic collision, they breathalyse the drivers at the scene. Last year nearly 600 drivers who were injured in traffic collisions either failed or refused to provide a breath test.
On a daily basis, and through specific operations, officers also breathalyse those drivers they suspect of drink-driving. On average around 35 drivers are breathalysed every day in Staffordshire. Drink-driving is not only a seasonal problem.
If you are convicted for a drink drive offence you:
- will lose your licence for at least 12 months
- may go to prison for up to six months
- may have to pay a fine of up to £5,000
- may lose your job (this happens in 15 per cent of cases)
- will have a criminal record
- face exceptionally high insurance costs once you get your licence back
- will have difficulty hiring a car within ten years of your conviction.
If you are convicted of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs you face:
- up to 14 years in prison
- an unlimited fine
- a minimum two-year driving ban.
The current legal limit is:
- 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath
- 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood
- 107 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine.
Remember - you can't guess your limit. The only safe drink to have before you drive is one with no alcohol in it.
Any alcohol, even a small drink, will affect your driving. This is because you do not judge speed or distance as well and you do not react as quickly.
At twice the legal limit you are at least 50 times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision. If you are convicted twice in ten years you face a three-year ban and may have to convince a doctor you don't have a drink problem to get your licence back.
Anyone who suspects someone is regularly drinking and driving should contact Crimestoppers with the details on 0800 555 111. Remember the call is free, you do not have to give your name and you may receive a reward.