Drink driving

If you make the decision to drink more than your legal limit, and then get behind the wheel of a car, you should make sure you are big enough to accept the ugly consequences of what might happen as a result of your choice. Things like losing a best mate, injuring a relative, killing someone’s kid, or maybe losing your ability to go to the toilet on your own. All pretty sobering stuff.

Drinking alcohol and driving is dangerous because drinking alcohol slows your reflexes down, causing you to react more slowly than you normally would. Obviously the best thing for you, your mates, family and strangers is that you don’t drink at all if you’re going to drive. Taking turns to be the designated sober driver is a good way of keeping everyone safe. Otherwise, pooling some cash amongst your friends and putting this aside when you go out partying can mean that a cab ride home is affordable.

The amount of alcohol you can drink before you are over the limit depends on many things - your weight, body size, gender, what you’ve had to eat that day and whether you are tired or have taken any medicine that might increase the effect of the alcohol e.g. a petite female teenager who has played a couple of grueling hockey games, may be over the limit after one glass of wine.

Aged under 20:

Technical Description: 150 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath or 30 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

It’s important to remember that any amount of alcohol (even one drink) can potentially put anyone over the U20 limit, so we strongly advise that if you have had anything to drink, you do not drive.

Aged 20 and over:

Technical Description: 400 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath or 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

Remember that this is just a guide and alcohol affects everybody differently.  Some people need less drink to put them over them over the limit.  To keep on the safe side, don’t try drinking up to the limit.  If you do and you fail a breath test, you won’t be able to get off by saying you had followed this guide.