What is the drink driving limit in Ireland?

Mr. Loverman

I have google'd this but I can't really find much information.

I am male, 5'10, and about 13 stone.

Can I have a pint and drive? Or is that over the limit?

Cheers

Satanta

Here's a tip... type "Drink Driving Limit Ireland" into google and follow the first link

You should see

* An offence of driving or attempting to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place while under the influence of an intoxicant to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the vehicle. (Section 49(1));
* An offence of driving or attempting to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place while there is present in your body a quantity of alcohol such that, within three hours after so driving or attempting to drive, the concentration of alcohol in your blood exceeds a concentration of 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100millilitres of blood. (Section 49(2));
* An offence of driving or attempting to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place while there is present in your body a quantity of alcohol such that, within three hours after so driving or attempting to drive, the concentration of alcohol in your body exceeds a concentration of 107 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine. (Section 49(3));
* An offence of driving or attempting to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place while there is present in your body a quantity of alcohol such that, within three hours after so driving or attempting to drive, the concentration of alcohol in your breath exceeds a concentration of 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. (Section 49(4)).

As for your weight/height etc... nonesense. Each and every person process alcohol differently. 1 pint for you might not put you over, but it might for me, even if we weigh the same. TBH... whats the point in taking a pint if you are uncertain if you'll be over the limit. What's one pint going to do for you that a soft drink cant?

johnos1984

For the sake of one pint I'd just avoid it altogether or else book a taxi and have 10 pints.

Alternatively you could drink non-alcoholic drinks

Mr. Loverman

Satanta wrote: »

Here's a tip... type "Drink Driving Limit Ireland" into google and follow the first link

Yeah I found that but seriously now come on, what does "80 milligrams of alcohol per 100millilitres of blood" mean?

PARKHEAD67

johnos1984 wrote: »

For the sake of one pint I'd just avoid it altogether or else book a taxi and have 10 pints.

Alternatively you could drink non-alcoholic drinks

I know of a man who drank 4 pints, left the pub and knocked down and killed a man on his way home. The man walking on the road was pissed and in the middle of the road so it was his fault really. The Gardai breathylised the driver and he was under the limit.Just shows you-1 pint and some are over the limit. 4 for another person and under the limit.Best thing is simply avoid alcohol altogether when driving. That machine they have is the only thing that knows whether your over or not.

Henry Ford III

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

Yeah I found that but seriously now come on, what does "80 milligrams of alcohol per 100millilitres of blood" mean?

It depends on many factors.

As others have said it's easier and safer not to bother having any booze if driving.

CiniO

Satanta wrote: »

Here's a tip... type "Drink Driving Limit Ireland" into google and follow the first link

You should see



As for your weight/height etc... nonesense. Each and every person process alcohol differently. 1 pint for you might not put you over, but it might for me, even if we weigh the same. TBH... whats the point in taking a pint if you are uncertain if you'll be over the limit. What's one pint going to do for you that a soft drink cant?

That's true that everyone processes alcohol differently. The biggest differences occur during clearing your organism from alcohol. F.E. two person of the same weight, drink the same amount of alcohol one evening, and next morning one of them will be completely sober, while the other one will have say 30mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

But, I think it's quite impossible that a person of 13 stone weight would be have more than 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.

Myself (about 80kg weight which is about 12.5 stone) checked it once quite precisely on professional calibrated alcomat, and half an hour after drinking one pint (500ml of beer with 6% alcohol volume) I had 35mg per 100ml of blood. Then I drank another pint, and check it again half an hour later - which showed 65mg/100ml of blood.
So after 2 pints of strong beer (hence most beer in Ireland is about 4 to 4.5 % of alcohol and the ones I had was 6%) i was still under the limit, so I could drive in Ireland.

I would probably never risk driving after 2 pints - even though probably in most cases wouldn't be over the limit., but after drinking 1 pint I'm hundred percent sure I'm under the limit and OK to drive.


But AFAIK the limit is going down to 50mg alc per 100ml of blood soon.