Scotland has a zero tolerance approach to drink driving.
How much you can drink when driving
You cannot safely drink any alcohol when driving.
Alcohol affects everyone in a different way.
Warning
One drink can put you over the limit.
How many drinks equals the limit
The limit is not how much you can drink when driving. It cannot be changed into drinks or units.
The limit is about how much alcohol is allowed in your body when driving. This shows in your breath, blood and urine.
The same drink can create different levels of alcohol for different people.
This depends on:
- your weight, age, sex and metabolism (the rate your body uses energy)
- the type of alcohol you drink
- what you've eaten
- medication
- your stress levels
Warning
The only way to be sure you're not over the limit is to avoid drinking any alcohol when driving.
Why the drink drive limit is not zero
Any alcohol impairs driving. But it would be unfair to have a zero limit. There's more than one reason why drivers could have alcohol in their body other than from drinking.
These reasons can vary for each person.
You could have traces of alcohol in your body even though it's been some time since you've had a drink and there's little alcohol actually left in your body.
You could even consume alcohol without knowing it. Some foods, mouthwash and medications can contain alcohol.
Many things can also affect how quickly your body gets rid of alcohol. This includes weight, age and your sex.
The limit helps police take action against those drivers who have drunk alcohol which has then impaired their driving.
Current drink drive limit
The current limit is:
- 22 microgrammes (mcg) of alcohol in 100 ml of breath
- 50 milligrammes (mg) of alcohol in 100ml of blood
- 67 milligrammes (mg) in 100 ml of urine
Everybody processes alcohol in a different way. For example, 2 people who drink the same pint of beer can show different alcohol levels in the body.
Warning
You'll commit a crime if you're over this limit.
Driving the morning after
Alcohol can take up to 24 hours or even longer to leave your body. You can be above the limit even if you're driving the day after drinking.
Get advice about driving the morning after from the Drink Aware website.
Alcohol breath test
Police can carry out a roadside breath test if:
- you commit a traffic offence
- you are involved in an accident
- they think you may be impaired by alcohol
If you fail the roadside test or refuse to take it, the police can arrest you. They'll take you to the station to give you 2 more breath tests using an advanced breathalyser.
The police will charge you if you fail the tests at the station or refuse to take them.
What happens if you're convicted of drink driving
Drink driving is a criminal offence with serious penalties:
- you'll get a minimum 12-month driving ban
- you could go to prison for up to 6 months or get a fine of up to £5000 - or both
- the offence stays on your licence for 11 years
- you might lose your vehicle
Drink drive limit in the rest of the UK
The drink drive limits for the rest of the UK are different to Scotland.
Report drink driving
Find out how to report a crime.
Get further help
Drink Aware website
Road Safety Scotland website
FAQs
In Scotland the drink driving alcohol limit for drivers is: 50 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood (the 'blood limit') 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath (the 'breath limit') 67 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of urine (the 'urine limit')
How much can you drink and then drive in Scotland? ›
Current drink drive limit
22 microgrammes (mcg) of alcohol in 100 ml of breath. 50 milligrammes (mg) of alcohol in 100ml of blood. 67 milligrammes (mg) in 100 ml of urine.
When did Scotland lower the drink drive limit? ›
The reduced drink-drive limit came into effect on 5 December 2014. It followed an independent review of Drink and Drug Driving Law conducted by Sir Peter North in 2010 and the passing of the Scotland Act 2012, which devolved the power to set the blood alcohol limit for driving in Scotland to the Scottish Parliament.
How many drinks are 35 micrograms per 100 milliliters of breath? ›
You can see that they should both be just under the limit of 35µg/100ml after 3 drinks and well over after 4. The calculations are for a 2 hours drinking session. A shorter time between drinking and driving will mean that the levels would be higher.
Has drink driving decreased in Scotland? ›
The number of drink-drive casualties on Scotland's roads in 2021 was the lowest ever recorded. Breathalyser firm AlcoSense said the lower drink-drive limit in Scotland has “undoubtedly helped to change attitudes” and says the rest of UK should follow suit.
What is the alcohol rule in Scotland? ›
The straightforward law in Scotland is that you can buy alcohol from supermarkets and shops from 10am-10pm seven days a week. This is distinct from England where you can legally buy alcohol 24 hours a day.
How much is 4 units of alcohol? ›
So, in 100ml of the whisky, there would be 4 units. And hence, a 25ml single measure of whisky would contain 1 unit. The maths is straightforward. To calculate units, take the quantity in millilitres, multiply it by the ABV (expressed as a percentage) and divide by 1,000.
Can you drive after a bottle of beer in Scotland? ›
The limit is 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. There are strict alcohol limits for drivers, but it is impossible to say exactly how many drinks this equals - it is different for each person. It's not possible to say how much alcohol you can drink and stay below the limit.
Can you buy drink after 10 in Scotland? ›
(Scotland) Act 2010 has amended the core hours during which shops and supermarkets can sell alcohol. Scotland currently only allows the purchase of alcohol between the hours of 10:00 and 22:00.
Could you drink and drive in the 70s UK? ›
The Year of 1967
The Road Safety Act of 1967 introduced the first maximum legal blood alcohol (drink driving) limit in the UK. The limit was set at a maximum BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood or the equivalent 107 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.
In an era of heightened awareness about the perils of drinking and driving, the decimal, “0.08,” requires no explanation. We all know what it means: If your blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.08% or higher, you're legally impaired and you can be arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI).
How many drinks is 400 mg of alcohol? ›
Alcohol (Ethanol, Ethyl Alcohol)
| Number of drinks consumed by a 55 kg person | Number of drinks consumed by a 90 kg person | Approximate blood alcohol concentration (mg/dL) |
|---|
| 3-5 | 5-8 | 100 - 150 |
| 5-7 | 8-11 | 150 – 200 |
| 7-9 | 11-14 | 200 – 300 |
| >/=10 | >/=15 | 300 – 400 |
2 more rowsLegal drink-driving limits
The current drink-driving limit is a BAC of 50mg. This means 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. For professional, learner and novice drivers the limit is a BAC of 20mg. Most people will have a BAC of 20 to 50mg after 1 standard drink.
How bad is alcoholism in Scotland? ›
It is linked with a risk of physical and mental health problems, as well as social and economic losses to individuals and society. In 2021, 1,245 people died from alcohol-specific causes in Scotland which is a 5% increase from 2020, and the highest number of deaths since 2008.
What is the new drink drive law in Scotland? ›
New Drink-drive Limit Scotland 2023
The new law stipulates that anyone caught operating a motor vehicle with more than 50 milligrams (mg) of alcohol per 100 milliliters (ml) of blood in their system will face prosecution and potential imprisonment – dropping from the current 80mg limit.
Who drinks more alcohol Scotland or England? ›
46% of Scottish adults drink at least once a week, lower than 50% across the UK.
Can you drive after being caught drink driving in the UK? ›
If you enter a guilty plea, you will be convicted, and the sentence issued immediately. Pleading not guilty will mean that a trial date is set by the court. This can be anywhere between six weeks and six months later. You can still drive during this period.
Has minimum alcohol pricing in Scotland worked? ›
Research conducted by Public Health Scotland and the University of Glasgow estimated that MUP had reduced alcohol-attributable deaths by 13.4% - 156 a year - and was likely to have reduced hospital admissions wholly attributable to alcohol by 4.1% up to the end of 2020 compared to what would have happened if MUP had ...
How many units is a glass of wine? ›
A typical-strength medium (175ml) glass of wine has around 2.3 units of alcohol. That means drinking more than six medium glasses of wine a week would put you above the UK Chief Medical Officers' (CMO) low risk drinking guidelines, of drinking less than 14 units a week.
