drink driving lower limits

businessdit

Under the new Drink driving laws I see it is possible to be charged with "driving under the influence" - but only receive a small fine and penalty points (and no driving ban) if you have do not exceed the following:

(a) Not exceeding 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood
(b) Not exceeding 107mg of alcohol per 100ml of urine
(c) Not exceeding 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath

How many units of alcohol would you have to consume in order to actually exceed the above? Are the above very very low readings? I cant seem to work it out.

Thanks in advance!

CiniO

businessdit wrote: »

Under the new Drink driving laws I see it is possible to be charged with "driving under the influence" - but only receive a small fine and penalty points (and no driving ban) if you have do not exceed the following:

(a) Not exceeding 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood
(b) Not exceeding 107mg of alcohol per 100ml of urine
(c) Not exceeding 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath

How many units of alcohol would you have to consume in order to actually exceed the above? Are the above very very low readings? I cant seem to work it out.

Thanks in advance!

What you posted is as well the old limit, which applied until last week.

An average size man straight after drinking 2 pints shouldn't be over that limit, but there is not any guarantee.
Some people might be under it even after 3 pints, while others will be over this just after drinking one.

Hence that if you are a specified person (learner driver, full licenced driver for less than 2 years, truck, bus drivers, etc) your limit is only 20mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. While the same if you exceed 20mg but not go over 80mg case doesn't have to go to court, but you still get driving ban for 3months automatically.

businessdit

Thatks for the Reply Ciro - Thats very confusing as that is what is stated at this government link:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driving_offences/drink_driving_offences_in_ireland.html

Is the new limit still 80mg then, but 20 for learners and occupational drivers? Where can I view the new limits? Anyone got a link?

CiniO

businessdit wrote: »

Thatks for the Reply Ciro - Thats very confusing as that is what is stated at this government link:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driving_offences/drink_driving_offences_in_ireland.html

Is the new limit still 80mg then, but 20 for learners and occupational drivers? Where can I view the new limits? Anyone got a link?

50mg per 100ml of blood is the limit for regular drivers.
below 50mg they are considered sober.
if they are between 50mg and 80mg they are fined €200 and 3 points.
if they are between 80mg and 100mg they are fined €400 and 6 months driving ban.



20mg per 100ml of blood is the limit for learner and truck and bus drivers.
if they are below 20mg they are considered sober.
if they are between 20mg and 80mg they are fined €200 and 3 months driving ban.


Anything above that ends up in court.


Hope this is clear enough for you.

cm200525

HAnything above that ends up in court.

Why aren't we all treated the same - professional driver or not. I'm not a pro driver but why is there 1 law for one type of driver and 1 for another - surely this is illegal. Rings bells of sexism to me - one law for ladies another for men. I'd be very surprised if this can be seriously enforced.

Another thing to note will be that good people (GOOD) leave their car at home when they go out drinking and the next morning they have to drive to work - because we don't all live next to work anymore. So then - hey presto - garda shows up - breath test & bang you're gone. I think garda discretion is needed but do you reckon the state will turn down the fine money????? No chance!!!!!

So what should be the rule?

CiniO wrote: »

50mg per 100ml of blood is the limit for regular drivers.
below 50mg they are considered sober.
if they are between 50mg and 80mg they are fined €200 and 3 points.
if they are between 80mg and 100mg they are fined €400 and 6 months driving ban.



20mg per 100ml of blood is the limit for learner and truck and bus drivers.
if they are below 20mg they are considered sober.
if they are between 20mg and 80mg they are fined €200 and 3 months driving ban.


Anything above that ends up in court.

challengemaster

cm200525 wrote: »

HAnything above that ends up in court.

Why aren't we all treated the same - professional driver or not. I'm not a pro driver but why is there 1 law for one type of driver and 1 for another - surely this is illegal. Rings bells of sexism to me - one law for ladies another for men. I'd be very surprised if this can be seriously enforced.

Another thing to note will be that good people (GOOD) leave their car at home when they go out drinking and the next morning they have to drive to work - because we don't all live next to work anymore. So then - hey presto - garda shows up - breath test & bang you're gone. I think garda discretion is needed but do you reckon the state will turn down the fine money????? No chance!!!!!

So what should be the rule?

How the hell did you manage to get sexism out of that?

And the reason for it is, anyone driving professionally should be expected to behave better on the roads than your average joe soap.

And if you have to drive the next morning, don't go out drinking the night before unless you're sure you'll be under the limit by the time you have to drive.

There's no need for any Garda discretion. If you're over the limit, you shouldn't be driving.

jimmycrackcorm

cm200525 wrote: »

Why aren't we all treated the same - professional driver or not. I'm not a pro driver but why is there 1 law for one type of driver and 1 for another - surely this is illegal. Rings bells of sexism to me - one law for ladies another for men. I'd be very surprised if this can be seriously enforced.

Why should you think this is anyway strange when insurance companies favour women drivers over men and older drivers over the boy racers? It's all about the risk.

cm200525

challengemaster wrote: »

How the hell did you manage to get sexism out of that?

And the reason for it is, anyone driving professionally should be expected to behave better on the roads than your average joe soap.

And if you have to drive the next morning, don't go out drinking the night before unless you're sure you'll be under the limit by the time you have to drive.

There's no need for any Garda discretion. If you're over the limit, you shouldn't be driving.

Ehhhh - double standard challengemaster - remind you of anything........sexism perhaps

---

muppet.

As for being a pro driver......why should they behave better then the normal joe soap - shouldn't everyone be a good driver

---

again ...muppet!!

I expect you don't drive, you take the bus and train. Fair play! If you do drive - tell me what you drive??

cm200525

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Why should you think this is anyway strange when insurance companies favour women drivers over men and older drivers over the boy racers? It's all about the risk.

Agreed Jimmy - Insurance is still a joke in this country but one step at a time. Insurance has nothing to do with the item in question so lets start another thread on that one.

Agreed tho - double standard is still there in one form or another

Cill Dara Abu

challengemaster wrote: »

How the hell did you manage to get sexism out of that?

And the reason for it is, anyone driving professionally should be expected to behave better on the roads than your average joe soap.

And if you have to drive the next morning, don't go out drinking the night before unless you're sure you'll be under the limit by the time you have to drive.

There's no need for any Garda discretion. If you're over the limit, you shouldn't be driving.

cm200525 wrote: »

Ehhhh - double standard challengemaster - remind you of anything........sexism perhaps

---

muppet.

As for being a pro driver......why should they behave better then the normal joe soap - shouldn't everyone be a good driver

---

again ...muppet!!

I expect you don't drive, you take the bus and train. Fair play! If you do drive - tell me what you drive??

cm200525

Cill Dara Abu wrote: »

Yeah I was gonna let someone else fight the corner but I decided I'd be the pin up this week

Hope that's buttered popcorn

EPM

cm200525 wrote: »

Ehhhh - double standard challengemaster - remind you of anything........sexism perhaps

---

muppet.

As for being a pro driver......why should they behave better then the normal joe soap - shouldn't everyone be a good driver

---

again ...muppet!!

I expect you don't drive, you take the bus and train. Fair play! If you do drive - tell me what you drive?

Banned for personal abuse.

Boskowski

I think this new limit is better than the old one. Basically what it's saying is 'OK we won't screw you overawe that glass of wine you're having with your diner but once you're into drinking territory just don't bloody drive '. I think that's fair enough. With a higher limit people just get tempted IMO. They go 'ah sure I can have two' then they go 'ah well I can have abother one since I had a bite to eat and the first one was over an hour ago' and before they know it they had just too much.
Modern car traffic just isn't the same it was 30 or 40 years ago. It's not that were simply getting softer or more PC or whatnot. There is more traffic on the roads, were driving faster, there's more distractions etc. When you want to have pints -regardless whether it's 2 or 10 - just leave the car alone.

sonic.trip

Something I can't find the answer to after doing a bit of searching is what does 50mg equate to? I know every person will be different but is it safe to say an average size man could go to the pub with his friends, have one pint and walk straight out and be under the 50mg? does anyone know the answer to this?

Atlantic Dawn

If you have your licence with you possibly a pint, all depends though on your weight and food content, can never give a real "limit" based on x drinks, everyone is different. No licence with you is 20mg, which I'd say less than a bottle will put you over.