Drink driving/riding

There is no safe limit for the amount of alcohol you can have before driving. There is also no way of knowing how long it will take for alcohol to be processed by your body.

Even a small amount of alcohol can affect your reaction times. Though there is a legal limit to how much alcohol can be in a person’s system before they can drive, it is impossible to say how many drinks or units it will take to reach it. It is also possible to still be over the legal limit the following day. An average liver can process approximately one unit of alcohol per hour. This means that if someone drinks 12 units, it can take them roughly 13 hours to fully sober up.

If you are caught you may banned from driving, have points added on your licence, an unlimited fine, or even imprisonment. This will mean increased insurance costs, potential job loss and even restrictions on travel to other countries such as the United States.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the legal alcohol limit for drivers is:

• 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath
• 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood
• 107 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine

In Scotland the legal limit is:

• 22 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath
• 50 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood
• 67 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.

You will not be able to drive anywhere in the UK if you have been banned by a UK court for drink driving.

More information about penalties for drink driving/riding is available on the HM government and South Yorkshire Police websites.