What is the drink-drive limit? | Check your alcohol levels before driving | Other options when you've had a drink | What about bikes and mobility scooters? | What are the consequences of drink-driving? Let’s start with the obvious: If you're driving, don't drink. If you're drinking, don't drive. If that’s not enough, here’s some more information on the limits and implications of drink-driving. In England and Wales, you’re considered over the limit if you have over: 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath 107mg of alcohol per 100ml of urine In Scotland, these limits are lower and more in line with other European countries: 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath As a rule of thumb, two pints of regular-strength lager or two small glasses of wine would put you over the limit. But this isn’t a catch-all rule. Factors like your weight, sex, metabolism and how much you’ve eaten all contribute to how your body processes alcohol, so everyone has different limits.

Check out our alcohol units calculator for more information on how many units particular drinks have. Though not a legal requirement in the UK, it’s a sensible idea to keep a breathalyser kit in your car. They’re  a quick and easy way to let you know if you’re over the limit. Keep in mind that you still might not be safe to drive the morning after. You might feel fine, but there still might be enough alcohol in your system to put you over the limit. Luckily there are plenty of ways for you to get home after a few drinks. As well as public transport, sober friends and taxis, there are services like Scooterman who will drive you and your car home safely. The chauffeur arrives in a foldable scooter that’s stored in your boot while they’re driving you home. They’re also insured to drive your car so everything is above board. You might be tempted to kip in your car if you can't make it home. However, being drunk and in charge of a car is illegal, even if you aren't driving.

The punishment for driving under the influence is severe. You’ll be banned from driving for a minimum of 12 months. best brand of sweet red wineIf you’re convicted twice in 10 years, this goes up to three years.best bottle of wine for the price You could also be put in prison for up to six months, and be forced to pay a hefty fine.best time to visit winery in va The punishments for similar offences, like being in charge of a vehicle while drunk, are noted on GOV.UK.best wine store paris What if you decide to cycle home after a night at the pub? best wine baskets reviews

What if you’re riding in a roadworthy mobility scooter? The legislation for drink-driving applies to all “mechanically propelled vehicles” e.g. cars, motorbikes and vans.what's the best wine to drink with chicken However, bicycles are not mechanically propelled, and mobility scooters are classed as “invalid carriages”.food and wine 100 best recipes Neither require a driving licence, tax or insurance to use, and neither come under the same legislation that applies to cars.wine gift list uk While the strict laws around drink-driving don’t apply to cyclists, it’s still an offence to ride a bicycle “while unfit to ride through drink or drugs”.top 5 reasons to drink wine

As for mobility scooters, you are required to follow the Highway Code when driving one on the road. This means that drink-driving laws apply to you the same as a car driver. Most insurers will have a clause stating that if you’re in an accident while driving over the limit or unfit to drive through drink or drugs, your cover is invalid. This means that you’re not entitled to any payout from your insurer, and any other costs involved - eg a damage claim from another driver - would be your responsibility. Having a drink-driving conviction will also mean you’re likely to see a sizable increase in your insurance prices, and some insurers may refuse to cover you. If you’re a passenger in a car with a drink-driver and you’re involved in an accident, any compensation you’d be entitled to could be reduced. This counts as “contributory negligence” - by getting in the car with someone who’s unfit to drive, you’ve contributed to your own injuries in a similar way to being in the car without a seatbelt.

There’s quite a lot of legislation and policy rulings around drink-driving, so let’s keep this simple:The drink limit will not be cut as ministers do not want to penalise motorists for simply having 'a glass of wine at the pub', Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said yesterday.Ministers have been under pressure to act on drink-driving since Scotland cut its limit in 2014, resulting in a reported fall in road deaths.A coalition of road safety organisations wrote to Mr Grayling in October calling for the Government to follow the lead of Scotland, where a single large glass of wine can be enough to put a driver over the limit. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the drink limit will not be cut as ministers do not want to penalise motorists for simply having 'a glass of wine at the pub'But Mr Grayling yesterday said he was not interested in penalising drivers who have had 'a glass of wine at the pub'. He said ministers wanted police to focus instead on dealing with the hard core of 'serious' drink-drivers who continue to pose a menace.'We have a drink-drive problem, but it's not people who had a glass of wine at the pub, it's people who systematically flout the law,' he told London's Evening Standard.'We have a fairly thinly stretched police force and we should concentrate on catching the serious offenders.'In comments that will raise eyebrows among road safety campaigners

, Mr Grayling also admitted he had used a mobile phone at the wheel – but said it was 'many years ago' before the dangers were fully understood.He insisted he had never sent a text message at the wheel, describing the practice as 'completely unacceptable'.In February this year, Transport Minister Andrew Jones said he would discuss the impact of a cut in the drink-drive limit with counterparts in Scotland. Scotland broke away from the UK on drink-driving in 2014 when it lowered its limit to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Pictured: a police officer holding a breath test kitSpeaking at the time, he said it was 'important to base our decisions on evidence and the Scottish experience will be crucial to that before we consider any possible changes to the limits in England and Wales'.But Mr Grayling's comments yesterday suggest the issue is effectively dead.His intervention will cheer many moderate drinkers and country pubs. But it will dismay road safety campaigners, who warn that England has made 'no progress' in reducing the damage caused by drink-driving since 2010.Scotland broke away from the UK on drink-driving in December 2014 when it lowered its limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg.

Mr Grayling's comments yesterday suggest England will no longer entertain the idea of following Scotland's tougher drink-driving limitThe new limit north of the border is equal to about one small glass of wine for a woman or a large glass for a man.Police figures suggest drink driving offences in Scotland fell by 12.5 per cent in the nine months after the new limit was imposed – although critics say it is too early to show definitively that the move has made a difference.In October, a coalition of health campaigners, emergency services and road safety campaigners are to call on ministers to cut the drink-drive limit, which is set to be the highest in the EU if Malta presses ahead with plans for a reduction.The group, which included the RAC Foundation, road safety group Brake, and the Police Federation, said there had been 'no progress' on reducing the impact of drink driving on the roads of England and Wales since 2010.Alcohol-related road deaths have plateaued at about 240 a year in recent deaths, with a further 8,000 people injured in drink-driving incidents every year.