If you drive a car under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you are punishable. The consequences are serious if you are stopped and checked, but the consequences are even greater if you cause an accident. Every year, approximately 200 people die in traffic due to the combination of driving and alcohol. This does not always concern drivers who are heavily intoxicated behind the wheel, but also motorists who have had a little too much to drink. Reaction speed becomes slower and even if the accident has nothing to do with alcohol consumption, it can carry a heavy penalty.
In addition, around 80 traffic fatalities occur every year due to the use of drugs. This often concerns young people who underestimate the danger of drugs in traffic. The problem with drug use in traffic is that it is difficult to demonstrate. They can detect drugs with a saliva test, but this test is not foolproof.
What are the consequences of driving under the influence?
The least serious consequences are the fines, surrender of the driver’s license and the mandatory course. The consequences of causing an accident with injury or death can be very serious. The insurer can recover the amount of damages paid from the person who caused the damage. In the event of an accident with injuries, the financial consequences can run into hundreds of thousands of euros. The same applies if the victim dies as a result of the accident. Motorists often underestimate the danger of alcohol or drugs in traffic. They fear being controlled, and they overestimate their own abilities.
Maximum alcohol content in the blood
You may participate in traffic if your blood alcohol level does not exceed 0.5 per mille. There are different theories about how many drinks you can drink, but the best is not to drink anything at all. With a blood alcohol level higher than 0.5, you are also not allowed to participate in traffic as a cyclist or moped rider.
Blood alcohol level for novice drivers
In practice, it has often become apparent in the past that it is often novice drivers (usually young people) who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. To further discourage this, stricter requirements apply to novice drivers. They are novice drivers for the first five years that they have their driver’s license. There is an alcohol limit of 0.22 per mille for them. The same limit also applies to road users up to 24 years old on a moped or moped.
Mandatory participation in a course
Various sanctions can be imposed for driving under the influence. One of them is a course. This is imposed if a percentage of between 1.3 and 1.8 per mille has been measured. You must then follow the Educational Measure Alcohol and traffic course. Novice drivers are imposed this with a blood alcohol content between 0.5 and 0.8. The driver must pay the costs of the course himself. You must complete the course, otherwise your driver’s license may be affected. The driver’s license can even be declared invalid.
How much is the fine for driving under the influence of alcohol?
For a blood alcohol content of up to 0.8, the fine is 290 (2011). The same amount applies to novice drivers, but they are punishable from 0.22 per mille. For a blood alcohol level between 0.8 and 1, the fine is 400, and up to 1.15: 500. Higher blood alcohol levels result in higher fines or other sanctions.