Why in this day and age have you not simply done away with the drink drive limit?

[HoneyDragon]

And just simply made it no booze no driving?

If they wanted absolute fairness they could have a discretionary much lower limit (ie low enough that it would not be felt to impair your driving) deemed fineable/point on your license, rather than a ban in cases where people GENUINELY thought they were ok the following day and are involved in a spot check?

The drink drive limit in Scotland is so low that you basically can't have a drink that day and some people get caught out from the day before.

They've basically done this in Scotland. The limit is so low that even one drink would put you over if you drove within an hour of finishing the drink.

It’s Scotland that got me thinking about it tbh.

Because the risk of driving after one small drink is deemed to be so low that it probably isn't worth the political and financial expenditure of changing the existing law and policing the new law?

I have a self imposed limit of not drinking anything alcoholic at all when I'm going to be driving. It does make life much simpler.

I think that would make the law much clearer to be honest. I'm sure some people find it ha d to judge the limit.

I think it should be no driving if you have had even a drop.

Cut out all the guessing and 'I'll just have the one' etc.

Some medications contain small amounts of alcohol. Not enough to effect driving but perhaps enough to test positive for alcohol.

No drinking no driving. Peoples tolerance differs. One drink and I'm wobbly

In the case of medication that can be easily sorted. Carry a copy of your prescription, and let the police know.

We are advised "Don't Drink and Drive" but on the other hand you can have this much before you are over the limit. Don't drink and drive should be just that.

It should just be a clear cut no drinking if driving rule. People think one glass of wine is fine when it isnt.

The rule in Scotland doesn't deter people though to be fair. See many drivers who have clearly had a couple. But it's still best to have it really low or none at all, it stops more people at least. You'll never stop them all though sadly.

I don’t actually agree with a zero limit.
If you have a glass of wine at lunchtime then it should mostly be gone by the evening (say a 250ml glass which is about 2 units at least). 6 hours later it should be gone but there may be traces.

Also if alcohol is used in cooking then traces could also remain. Maybe a lower limit, but not a zero limit.
(I drink very little indeed, maybe one beer or glass of wine a week)

I think there woul have to be a fair bit of alcohol in the cooking to show up wouldn't there?

I wouldn't have a glass of wine or anything with lunch if I was driving at all after that even in the evening.

Its the people that try and judge what they can have that are the danger.

DH purchased a diy breathalyser for the morning after, as he’s oftened worried when he’s out socially for work on the return journey and was really shocked at the result the following morning. He doesn’t budge from the hotel in the morning until it’s clear and it’s made home really watch his intake over dinner the evening before.

In the case of medication that can be easily sorted. Carry a copy of your prescription, and let the police know.

Does that magically remove the danger of driving under the influence of alcohol ? Or is is somehow "good" alcohol, that doesn't pose a risk to other people ?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-brewery_syndrome

Sparkling things like cough mixture don’t need a prescription but have alcohol in.

Scotland have it right. If I’ve toasted someone with a sip of my DH’s champagne, had medication, or had a chocolate liqueur, it would be ridiculous to be criminalised for being over the limit. A limit which means “no having an alcoholic drink” but allows for tiny amounts of alcohol to be present is perfect.

I don't claim to be an expert DGRossetti I just assumed that it would help for clarity.

Someone upthread said some medications contain a small amount of alcohol so I was responding to that.

So in that case you say you have taken cough medicine JudgeRulesNutterButter, but how much cough medicine would you need to drink? Would one spoonful even show?

Which cough medicines have alcohol in?

The limit should absolutely be zero, no question. Find that you still have drink in your system when you drink the night before? Then don’t drink or don’t drive. Sick of lives being sacrificed to this sort of selfishness.

I dunno. But in principle! Zero alcohol at all seems to leave no leeway for any allowable situation.

Is there any evidence that amounts of alcohol smaller than Scotland’s allowed amount affect driving?

For laws to be brought in there has to be a proved reason, either medically or to prevent accidents, which I think it is the way it should be. If you want absolute rule, there are other countries where you can live under that.

All drink driving accidents are caused by excess, not people being caught out. I wouldn't drink/drive at all. But my partner who can drink 15 pints and still behave relatively normally, will have a shandy, or two, if eating. That doesn't even register in his body.

If you are a fully functioning Adult, who can drive, then excuse time needs to stop and take responsibility for your behavior. Same with all the excuses around speeding and general bad driving.

I understand your thoughts, but to be fair, I don’t know anyone who drinks at all then drives. The viewpoint of most in my small circle is that the effects of alcohol can vary so much according to surrounding circumstances it’s not worth trying to figure out what can be consumed and what can’t just no alcohol if driving later that day.

I’m interested to know if many others do similar!