It is a scientific fact that alcohol and drugs impair driving and increase your risk of crashing.
The legal alcohol limit for drivers in Northern Ireland is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath or 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood or 107 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.
Drinks
At under 1/3 of the legal limit your attention is impaired. You start to focus more on steering and miss out on other dangers like the child about to cross the road. Your alertness is impaired and the danger of sleepiness increases.
Lots of drugs can affect your ability to drive safely including some over-the-counter medicines (like cough and hay fever medicines) and many prescribed drugs. Always read the information leaflets that come with medicines carefully or ask a pharmacist or your doctor for advice.
At under 1/2 of the legal limit, you are less vigilant and your perception is starting to show
Drugs slow down your reaction time, meaning you can’t respond to emergency situations as quickly.
By 3/4 of the legal limit your perception, vision and tracking abilities are impaired, including your ability to steer within your own lane.
You are unable to judge distances and speeds properly.
By 4/5 of the legal limit, your ability to think, react and make choices are impaired.
You believe you are in control and almost invincible, so you begin to take more risks.
The combined effect is that your judgement is impaired – making you take more risks.
Your eyesight becomes more blurred and you start to lose concentration.
Drugs
Lots of drugs can affect your ability to drive safely including some over-the-counter medicines (like cough and hay fever medicines) and many prescribed drugs. Always read the information leaflets that come with medicines carefully or ask a pharmacist or your doctor for advice.
Drugs slow down your reaction time, meaning you can’t respond to emergency situations as quickly.
You are unable to judge distances and speeds properly. You believe you are in control and almost invincible, so you begin to take more risks.
Your eyesight becomes more blurred and you start to lose concentration.
Offences and Penalties
Causing death or grievous bodily injury by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs.
You could get:
• 14 years’ imprisonment an unlimited fine
• A ban from driving for at least two years
• An extended driving test before your licence is returned
Driving or attempting to drive when above the legal limit or unfit through drink or drugs.
You could get:
• six months’ imprisonment
• a fine of up to £5,000
• a ban from driving for at least 12 months or three years if convicted twice in 10 years
• a driving test before your licence is returned
Refusing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine for analysis.
You may get:
• six months’ imprisonment
• up to £5,000 fine
• a ban from driving for at least 12 months
• a driving test before your licence is returned
Being in charge of a vehicle when over the legal limit or unfit through drink/drugs.
You could get:
• three months imprisonment
• a fine of up to £2,500
• a possible ban from driving for a period decided by the District Judge
Source: New Driver NI
At CRASH Services we want to make your experience with us as stress-free as possible. We want to be the first person you call after an accident or collision.
If you’ve been in an accident, CRASH Services can take care of everything at no cost to you. Please speak to one of our specialists from our claims team today. Or call us now on 028 9066 0244.
We offer a range of services including Accident Management, Replacement Vehicles, Recovery, Repairs, Claims, Breakdown Cover and Legal and Medical Assistance.
Our service is free as we recover the costs from the third-party insurers.
