Drink-driving penalties
You could be imprisoned, banned from driving and face a fine if youÂre found guilty of drink-driving.
Penalties for different offences
The following penalties may apply if youÂre charged and found guilty of a drink-driving offence.
The actual penalty you get is up to the magistrates who hear your case, and depends the circumstances of your offence.
The courts may offer you to take a drink-drive rehabilitation scheme (DDRS) course if you’re banned from driving for 12 or more months.
Being in charge of a vehicle while above the legal limit or unfit through drink
You may get:
- 3 months’ imprisonment
- up to £2,500 fine
- a possible driving ban
Driving or attempting to drive while above the legal limit or unfit through drink
You may get:
- 6 months’ imprisonment
- up to £5,000 fine
- a driving ban for at least 1 year (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years)
Refusing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine for analysis
You may get:
- 6 months’ imprisonment
- up to £5,000 fine
- a ban from driving for at least 1 year
Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink
You may get:
- 14 years’ imprisonment
- an unlimited fine
- a ban from driving for at least 2 years
- an extended driving test before your licence is returned
The High Risk Offenders Scheme
Your driving licence wonÂt be returned automatically at the end of a driving ban if youÂre a ‘high risk offender’. You’ll only get your licence back if you pass a medical examination.
YouÂre a high risk offender if you:
- were convicted of 2 drink-driving offences within 10 years
- were driving when you were at 2.5 times or more the legal alcohol limit
- refused to give the police a sample of breath, blood or urine to test for alcohol
- refused to allow a sample of your blood to be tested for alcohol (eg if it was taken when you were unconscious)
Other problems you could face
A conviction for drink-driving also means:
- your car insurance costs will increase significantly
- if you drive for work, your employer will see your conviction on your licence
- you may have trouble travelling to countries like the USA