Be sensible and know your limits
So what are the limits for drinking and driving?
And what’s the 50mg lower limit all about anyway? Here are some answers to the common questions around drink-driving limits in Scotland. Is it okay to have one drink and then drive home? No, it’s not okay to have a drink and then drive home. In Scotland, the legal limit of alcohol is 50mg per 100ml of blood. The breath alcohol equivalent is 22 mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
This often means just one drink could put you over the legal limit for driving. Our best advice is to plan head – make sure you know how to get home safely. Why is there a 50mg limit? Why not have a zero limit? The legal limit is to cover different people’s metabolisms, those suffering diabetes, plus the effects of mouthwash. How much can I drink and stay under the legal limit? It’s not OK to drink and drive. Even one drink can take you over limit. The legal limit is 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to compensate for people with different metabolism rates as well as diabetes sufferers, and the use of mouthwash. How does alcohol affect my ability to drive? Alcohol affects your judgment. This is your ability to think clearly, reason, plan ahead, and make decisions. It also affects your concentration which means you’re often unable to focus on more than one thing at a time.
Then there’s your comprehension and ability to understand and interpret road signs and signals. It messes with coordination, vision and crucially – reaction time.
Can I drive the morning after drinking alcohol?
Only if you’re certain it’s out of your system. Often people aren’t aware how long it takes alcohol to pass through their body. There are online “morning after” calculators available to help you estimate when you’ll be safe to drive.