Drink Driving Solicitors Testimonial Simon

Did You Survive Blue Monday?!

Guest Post By Charlotte Knight

Dr Cliff Arnall's formula is intended to prove the ‘scientific’ fact that the third Monday of January is the most depressing day of the year.

The famous fake equation!

                           

This formula was hugely criticised and it quickly transpired that this ‘calculation’ was commissioned by Sky Travel for advertising purposes. Even though the scientific calculation has been proved as false, blue Monday is still ingrained in society's perception with the January blues reaching their height on this midway through the month point. This has been shown during the past three years, where social media has seen over 2 million negative comments on this day alone.

So why are people so negative?

Although Dr Arnall’s theory is by his own admission ‘meaningless’, he could have been onto something…

The post-Christmas hangover is in full swing with the arrival of unpaid credit card bills on the doorstep, along with the knowledge that most of your next payslip will probably vanish into thin air paying off the stragglers of Christmas debt.

It’s also the time of the month where many people are suffering from severe self-loathing and guilt at failed New Year’s Resolutions. Which after setting themselves year after year thought this was finally the year they would succeed.

Monday itself is dreaded for most every week for obvious reasons, work, traffic, annoying fellow commuters and this isn’t helped by the wet, cold dark mornings of January. Neither is it helped by the fact that many don’t see any daylight as it is dark before they even leave the office!

How do we overcome this?

So before you are tempted to crash your car into the back of the frustrating commuter in front of you (WARNING: don’t do this, you could face a potential dangerous driving charge), we have some suggestions to help the blue out of January:

• Perhaps watch a funny movie;
• Do some exercise to produce those feel good endorphins; or
• Treat yourself to a cheap bottle of wine with a friend.However, don’t make your Monday more depressing by being charged with drink driving and facing a 12 month driving disqualification!

January is bad enough as it is, don’t make it any more depressing by getting yourself in trouble with the law. Here at Geoffrey Miller Solicitors we see too many people who face a court appearance, a driving ban and losing their job over a just few seconds of poor judgement. Fortunately our unique strategies and our unparalleled expertise mean that more than 9 out of 10 drink driving cases that we take to trial result in a complete acquittal. 

So whilst we can’t cure your depression, we can hopefully help to make your blue Monday a healthier shade of lilac.

Don't remove your Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) or you could find yourself in court

Diesel Particulate Filters or DPFs are the bane of many motorists' lives. They are fitted to most modern diesel cars to filter harmful pollutants from the exhaust gases. The filters are seen as an important environmental protection.

Unfortunately the filters can become easily blocked, particularly in cars that are driven mostly around town. They cost a fortune to replace and a blocked filter can leave a motorist with a bill of several hundred pounds.

BBCMidlands Inside Out on 20 October 2014 claims to have uncovered a number of garages in Staffordshire that will remove the workings of the filters so that they don't get blocked. Of course this solves the motorists' problems but it also stops the filters from working and pollution gets released into the air.

Remove diesel filters at your peril!

Don't be tempted by this quick fix. Firstly removal of a DPF means an automatic MoT test failure. Cars normally still pass the emissions tests even with the filters removed. That's why mechanics try to fool the system by removing the insides of the filter leaving the plastic casing intact. It won't work if it gets spotted and you will be faced with a big bill for a new filter. Secondly, and more seriously, removing the filter is a criminal offence. It could result in a fine from the magistrates' court of up to £1,000 for a car and £2,500 for a commercial vehicle. The fine is for using the vehicle but the garage owner could also be prosecuting for "aiding and abetting".

If trading standards or the police do want to investigate or issue court proceedings then a specialist motoring solicitor may be able to help. Especially for motor traders, the fine might be the least of your worries. We will want to know what the evidence is and maybe test it at court. If the prosecutor can't prove the case then you will be found not guilty.

So, if you are concerned that you may need our help, please give us a call on 08000 85 27 84 for a "no strings" chat about your case.

National Tyre Safety Month- October 2014

Guest post - Emma Potts

 So winter is well on its way. What I hear you cry?! Where’s summer gone? Well before we know it Christmas will be here (groan,sigh I hear a few of you cry).

Well the beginning of winter is not just about going getting our new winter coats or pair of UGG boots one may be treating themselves to, or even arranging those cosy nights in front of the fire with a glass of your favourite tipple.

But before we all worry whether we will be warm enough have you thought about your car and what it needs in preparation for winter?

You know the car that will keep you warm on your daily commute when it’s still dark in the morning and when the outside temperatures are comparative to that of the Antarctic (or so it often feels).

Boring it may well seem but the importance of maintaining your vehicle's “legs” is imperative, especially in winter.

Winter weather

As we all know in winter we see some of the wettest months of the year. I know we often feel like every month is the wettest month of the year in the UK but the largest rain pour is throughout the winter months. 

A statistic recently published by the department of transport in the reported road casualties found that defective tyres areresponsible for 40% of vehicle related road deaths. 

**There is also the worry that if your car has defective tyres, you could face prosecution. The Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 specify what constitutes a defective tyre.

Car tyres are listed in the law as having 7 possible defects. Most car drivers are not aware of the depth of the regulations. If you were stopped by the police and of any of these defects were found with your tyres you could end up receiving punishments for each individual defective tyre.    

Punishments for defective tyres

·        For each illegal tyre there is a penalty point risk of 3 points per tyre and a maximum possible fine of up to £2,500 for each tyre that is defective.

So if for instance you had 4 defective tyres you get actually lose your licence with the accumulation of the 12 penalty points (you would become a “totter” which could see you facing a driving ban), not to mention the serious dint in your wallet from the fine that will be imposed.

Imagine having to wait at the bus stop on a cold dark morning to get to work and all thanks to having not checked your tyres meet legal requirements.

So, what depth do your tyres need to be in order to meet legal requirements?

Firstly current UK law requires car drivers to have at least 1.6mm of tread depth on their tyres.

“How do you measure your tyre tread?” I hear you ask, we don’t all carry rulers around in our pockets! Well if you haven’t got a tyre checker or a ruler, there is a simple way of checking your tyres without these items and many refer to it as “the 20p test.”

The 20p Test

You can do a tyre check yourself by inserting a 20p coin into the main grooves on your outer tyres.

If you can't see the outer band of the 20 p when the 20p is inside the tyre groove then your tyre tread is within the legal limit.

*** Whilst doing this test also remember look out for the other possible defects ***

7 other key things to check with your tyres to avoid any prosecution

1: Is there any uneven wear and tear on your tyres

2: Are there any cuts or slashes anywhere on the tyres

3: Is there any bulging in the tyre walls

4: What about tyre pressures – ensure your tyres have the correct pressure as stated in your vehicle’s manufacturing book

5: Tread depth on your tyres must be 1.6mm at least

6: Your tyres must be fit for the purpose that the vehicle is being used

7: There should be no cord or ply exposed on any tyre

Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regulation/27/made

A defective tyre is therefore a tyre which is found to have one of the above defects present.

(Remember if any one of these defects are found you may be liable to prosecution.)

All of the above checks are recommended on a weekly basis and before any long journey

So think winter, think tyres!

·         Don’t become a statistic and more importantly stay safe.

 

·        Carry out all of the above checks on a regular basis or as it's national tyre safety month in October why not take advantage and go and get a free tyre check at your local tyre service centre.

There’s no excuse it's free and could save you a fortune in the long term.

If you are already facing a fixed penalty notice for defective tyres this could well mean you have become at risk of a totting up offence which will result in a disqualification from driving. If you are please call our expert team here at Geoffrey Miller Solicitors who will be able to have a chat with you. 08000 85 27 84

Wrap up warm folks and remember your tyres need extra TLC this winter.

Love Your Boss...and your fellow motorist!!!

Guest Blog By Stephen Oldham

National Hug Your Boss Day Blog

14 August 2014 is National Hug Your Boss Day. You can find out more about it at the National Hug Your Boss Day website.

Everybody needs a hug from time-to-time – wouldn’t the world be a better place if everything could be resolved with a hug?

We have to deal with some pretty difficult cases here at Geoffrey Miller Solicitors. We regularly defend cases of drink driving. Quite often our clients’ stories are quite heart breaking – they face losing their jobs and homes if they are banned from driving. We are always really pleased when justice is done and they manage to keep their licence.

How much better a good hug rather than a long court battle would be.

Russell Brand

We have been inspired by National Hug Your Boss Day and by comedian Russell Brand who intervened on Tottenham Court Road in London when he saw a driver and a cyclist get into an argument. Instead of just walking by Russell administered a big embrace to all concerned and they went happily on their way. (Picture from @Joe_Stas on Twitter.)

Maybe we should take a leaf out of Russell Brand's book and hug one another instead of getting hot under the collar when someone cuts us up!

We think that all of these common driving offences could be resolved with a big hug. We know that we would be putting ourselves out of a job but we would be more than happy to administer the scheme and set up a hug bank.

Drink Driving

Driving with excess alcohol is a pretty serious offence. It results in a minimum driving ban of 12 months and in the worst cases can mean 6 months in prison.

We suggest the following alternative penalties:

·       

• Drink drivers who are stopped by the police but there is no accident: A big hug to the policeman (or woman) and a small hug to anyone nearby to say sorry for putting them in danger.

• Drink drivers who have an accident: A hug to the ambulance driver if s/he attends and three hugs to the magistrates (one hug each).

•  Drink drivers who are more than 3½ times overthe drink driving limit: Normally the magistrates will think about a prison sentence for anyone who provides a reading of 120µg per 100 ml of breath. So, the only hugs available are hugs in the prison visiting room. Geoffrey Miller Solicitors have never had a client sent to prison on a charge of drink driving alone (even when the reading was over 120, and we’ve seen a few!!) Hugs all round.

Speeding

Low speeds of up to 10% plus 9 mph over the speed limit (e.g. 42 mph in a 30 zone or 86 mph in a 70 zone) usually mean that the police will offer driver education or a speed awareness course. We think that trip out to the speeding site and a big hug of the speed camera would fit the bill just fine. The speed camera could even capture the moment to prove that the driver has done your duty.

We understand that drivers who go at much higher speeds will have to receive a tougher penalty but we really don’t think that public humiliation is the right thing. Rather than a driving ban how about a hug for your car to show it how much you care and how you don’t want to put it in danger by driving it too fast.

12 Penalty Points or More

The law says that a driver who gets 12 penalty points or more should be disqualified from driving for a minimum of 6 months. We think that drivers should be able to cancel some of their points by offering a big hug to anyone who wants one. If the hugees (this is a legal term for the recipient of a hug) are satisfied then they could write to DVLA and one penalty point could be removed from their licence per hug. How about a massive hugging park with a big screen outside the DVLA office in Swansea?

It’s pretty unlikely that our plans will be put in place but do not despair. If you get 12 points then the magistrates have a discretion to allow you to keep your licence if you (or someone else) will suffer exceptional hardship. If this happens to you then call Jeanette Miller at Geoffrey Miller Solicitors where a team of specialist solicitors can advise you about your case. We have a great record for helping drivers to keep their licence.

Our boss might even throw in a big hug too!!!

REHABILITATE, PUNISH, OR SIMPLY DETER?

Guest post by Paul Loughlin

There are two clear and basic ingredients to an offence of ‘Drink Driving’. I suppose that’s obvious really. The first being that a car has to be driven on a road or other public place. The second being that alcohol has to have been consumed to show either that the driver is over the prescribed limit or that he or she is impaired to such an extent that they are unfit to drive.

Well known Penalties

The television infomercials are to the point in explaining that there is a minimum 12 month ban from driving and a criminal record. The warnings don’t go as far as to explain that in serious cases a Community Order can be imposed and in very serious cases the Courts can even hand down a prison sentence. 

Long has the question been asked: ‘What is the main purpose of the Criminal Justice System? To punish those who offend or to rehabilitate those who offend? Most people would say there has to be an element of both for justice to be done.

Now the government are having to look at ways to simply deter repeat offenders who seem immune to any attempt to rehabilitate and immune to the consequences of any punishment! Electronic tags are not a new thing. They have been used for some time now to restrict offender’s movements in certain areas and at certain time. A deterrent from repeat offending above all else perhaps?

image from Google Images

Drastic measures?

Never before though has an electronic tag been used to directly deter an offender from consuming alcohol by measuring the alcohol consumed!

A new 12 month trial is set to begin for drink driving cases in London Boroughs using electronic tags to record the level of alcohol in the offender’s sweat. The ‘transdermal tags’ will monitor if the offender has consumed alcohol. If they have, then the Court will have power to impose further penalties.

‘Scourge on our High Streets’

With Alcohol related offences reported in a more negative light than ever before it is perhaps unsurprising that this scheme is being piloted in an effort to simply deter repeat offenders who seem immune to punishment or rehabilitation programmes. Boris Johnson has made his feelings known about the topic and it is hoped that the scheme will help to drop drink driving repeat offences by the 12% that it has done during trials in South Dakota, US.

Perhaps the above viewpoint answers the question posed. Or certainly how the Courts are looking to deal with the problem. The tendency here is to punish rather than rehabilitate. The deterrent here is the additional punishment and the additional imposition.

In the circumstances it is more important than ever to ensure that the negative stigma of drink related offences, drink driving in particular, is not the overriding thought in the mind of the Court when considering a case and ultimately any sentence on a finding of guilt. 

We firmly believe that each case has to be taken on its own merits and that the penalty imposed has to be in keeping with the circumstances and the offender's mitigation. A blanket policy is dangerous and unjust. 

If you are in the unenviable position of having to go to court for a drink driving offence, make sure you check your options with our expert Motoring Team at Geoffrey Miller Solicitors before going to Court and blindly leaving your ankles to their mercy!

St Swithin's Day Thoughts

Guest Post by Stephen Oldham

On 15^th July we will wish you happy St Swithin’s day here at Geoffrey Miller Solicitors. Everybody knows the old legend: if it rains on St Swithin’s day then it will rain for the next forty days; if the sun shines then we can expect good weather for forty days. This is the old proverb.

St Swithin's day if thou dost rain

For forty days it will remain

St Swithin's day if thou be fair

For forty days 'twill rain nae mare

We imagine this is exactly how our clients feel when then first get in touch in need for motoring law advice! 

St Swithin was the Bishop of Winchester. He died in around 862 AD and was famous for touring his diocese on foot. He would not have needed a specialist motoring solicitor to defend him for speeding or drink driving. If he ever comes back and becomes Bishop of Winchester again then we can suggest a few legends based on the number 40 that he might like to use.

Speed limit of 40 mph

If you break the 40 mph speed limit then you can expect some attention from the police. The Association of Chief Police Officers have produced guidelines suggesting how the police should deal with drivers going over the limit. 41-45 mph means that no action will be taken; for 46-53 drivers are normally offered a speed awareness course; 54-65 usually leads to a fixed penalty ticket; over 66 mph and a court appearance it likely. There are other guidelines in place for all of the speed limits from 30-70 mph.

St Swithin's day if thou dost drive

Where the forty limit is live

Over sixty-five and thou shalt know

To the Magisrates’ Court thou go

Section 40 Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988

We do not lose many cases in the Magistrates’ Court. We take scores of drink driving cases to trial every year – most of them are successful. 

We also represent drivers who have reached the 12 point limit and we usually help them to keep their licence.

On rare occasions the court do not find in our favour. If that happens then we can take the case to appeal in the Crown Court. Section 40 allows the courts to suspend the driving disqualification whilst we are waiting for the appeal to be heard.

St Swithin's day you lose thy trial

Do not drive another mile

If you want your licence back

Section forty puts you right on track

DVLA Code CU40

If a driver is convicted of a motoring offence or if they receive a fixed penalty (usually from the police) then their driving licence will be endorsed. Points remain active for three years although they are normally printed on the paper licence counterpart for four. DVLA have a list of codes for all of the different offences. CU40 is the code for driving a vehicle with defective steering. It’s pretty rare for us to see that code on a licence but here’s what St Swithin might say about it.

St Swithin's day if thy steering

Makes thy car to commence veering

On thy licence a code appears

CU40 for three years

40 Penalty Points

Drivers who get 12 or more penalty points in three years can normally expect a minimum driving ban of 6 months. If we can persuade the magistrates that a ban would cause exceptional hardship either to the driver or to someone else then they will not usually be banned at all.

Our record in the last few years is 31 points and no driving ban – we have never had a case with 40 points but if we got one we would fight to the bitter end.

St Swithin's day thou art so bad

That forty points are to be had

Call Geoffrey Miller and we can

Help avoid a driving ban

40µg of alcohol per 100 ml of breath

The legal limit for drink driving is 35µg/100ml of breath. If the police suspect that someone is drink driving then they normally take them to the police station and breathalyse them. If the reading is below 40µg/100ml then the police do not normally prosecute and will take no further action. We suggest that you do not test your luck. It’s always better to stick to soft drinks if you are taking the car.

St Swithin's day thou drinketh wine

The law shall stop thy car in time

If under forty thou shalt blow

The police will prob’ly let thee go

Happy St Swithin’s Day and here's hoping for good weather.

If you require advice regarding any of the above motoring offences, we appreciate the situation you face is no laughing matter but hopefully we can help you to feel relief when we guide you through your options. Please give us a call on 08000 85 27 84 for a "no strings" chat with a member of our expert motoring law team.

Let Grand Prix Blunder Serve As A Warning

Guest Post by Alison Ashworth

Lewis Hamilton may be licking his wounds today after an error of judgement made him opt for a pit stop in yesterday's qualifying hour resulting in him dropping from first to sixth place!!! He can't turn back the clock now, a desire to which our clients can  relate when they, like he, wish they could do something differently with the benefit of hindsight.

Hamilton's blunder not dissimilar to speeding motorists - Image Courtesy of the Daily Mail

For most "speed freaks" the thrill of watching Grand Prix drama will be enough, however we are advising motorists to be warned about the danger of allowing the excitement of the Grand Prix to influence, and lower their own driving standards.

For example, research from BSM driving school suggests that over a quarter of the people surveyed admitted to driving faster after playing on driving video games.

However before getting behind the wheel of your car whilst imagining you’re the next David Coulthard, we urge you to consider the potential impact of your need for speed on your driving licence.

If you are caught speeding then the following consequences may quickly follow:

• Best case scenario –

You may be lucky enough to be invited to attend a speed awareness course at an average cost of £100

• Speed by up to 10 miles per hour over the limit-

You are looking at 3 points on your licence

• Speed by up to 20 miles per hour over the limit –

You are looking at 4 - six points on your licence or a ban of 7 – 28 days

• Speed by up to 30 miles per hour over the limit –

You are looking at a ban of 7 – 56 days, or points on your licence

It is probably also worth remembering the very wide sentencing powers of the Magistrates when it comes to speeding offences. There is actually no limit on the length of disqualification that can be imposed for a high level speeding offence.

Does speeding make you a totter?

Depending on the number of existing and active points on your licence, accruing points on your licence in the above way could result in you facing a totting up ban for which you face a 6 month ban.

We recommend that you leave the high speeds to the professionals, even if they do sometimes make a mess of their Grand Prix strategy! 

What No Sunglasses?!

Guest Post by Stephen Oldham

Despite the drizzle, today was National Sunglasses Day. Here at Geoffrey Miller Solicitors we really had to scratch our heads to find a driving related story to help celebrate. A few topics came to mind: Do people wearing sunglasses drive faster than people who don’t? Can sunglasses reflect police radar guns? Does drink driving in sunglasses make you more likely to get stopped?

None of the subjects are much fun. So we had to think harder. How about some word association? Sunglasses, drink driving, sunglasses, going to court, sunglasses, celebrities, sunglasses speeding, sunglasses, sunglasses ... That’s it! Celebrities going to court for driving cases wearing sunglasses.

So, please take part in our...........

Celebrity Sunglasses Quiz!

All of these celebrities have been to court for driving offences. Which ones were wearing sunglasses?

1.       George Michael                                Sunglasses/No Sunglasses
2.        Graeme Swann                               Sunglasses/No Sunglasses
3.        Katie Price                                      Sunglasses/No Sunglasses
4.        Sarah Harding                                 Sunglasses/No Sunglasses
5.        Ray Wilkins                                     Sunglasses/No Sunglasses
6.        Barbara Knox                                  Sunglasses/No Sunglasses
7.        Kara Kilbey                                     Sunglasses/No Sunglasses
8.        Professor Green                               Sunglasses/No Sunglasses

Scroll Down For The Answers Below...no peeping now!

George Michael

An easy one to start. Here is George outside Highbury Magistrates’ Court facing charges of drink driving.

Photo courtesy of the Independent

Graeme Swann

No sunglasses and a smart respectful look for Graeme. Of course Graeme was found not guilty at a trial when he was represented by top drink driving barrister, Phillip Lucas.

Photo courtesy of Daily Mail

Katie Price

A beautiful pair (of sunglasses) Katie … and a ban for speeding.

Photo Courtesy of the Daily Mail

Sarah Harding

Former Girls Allowed star sports her shades. She was banned for 6 months after a conviction for using her mobile phone whilst driving. Should have given us a call Sarah.

Photo courtesy of the Mirror

Ray Wilkins

No shades for Ray after a three day trial.

Photo courtesy of the Mirror

Barbara Knox

Good old Rita! Barbara’s case is awaiting trial at Macclesfield Magistrates’ Court. She denies the charge of drink driving. Not much chance for shades at Macclesfield where the sun rarely shines.

Photo courtesy of the Daily Mail

Rapper Professor Green

Our prize for the coolest shades goes to the Prof. Guilty to drink driving.

Photo courtesy of the Daily Mail

Cara Kilbey

TOWIE star Cara on her way to court (not in Essex) where she was banned for two years for drink driving, After the hearing she tweeted that she hoped others would learn from her mistakes.

Photo courtesy of http://i3.cdnds.net/13/05/618x618/cara-kilbey.jpg

How did you do?

1-3 correct. Poor celebrity watching – need to subscribe to Heat magazine!

3-7 correct. Not bad. No driving ban for you.

8 correct. Well done!! Were the questions too easy?

Father's Day Motoring Thoughts

The majority of fathers consider themselves blessed by their daily contact with their children.  However, when a relationship breaks down between parents, contact can become a struggle particularly when the child or father move a considerable distance away. Whilst the antics of support group, Father4justice, often grab the headlines for the wrong reasons, we can't help but have sympathy for Dads when it comes to defending them to enable them to maintain contact with children from estranged homes.

Source: http://newfathers4justice.co.uk/2012/06/16/fathers4justice-march/

Often working full time, many men consider their driving licence an absolute necessity in order to be in a position to visit their children mid-week, particularly in remote areas where transport links are poor.  Following a break-up, most fathers still wish to play a regular part in the upbringing of their children, and wish to continue to act as "taxi-driver" taking them to various clubs and activities. 

We also encounter fathers who wish to make the most of the time they have one-on-one with their children, who tell us of the difficulties that public transport would cause when traveling long distances to places such as theme parks.

For many dads, their licence is an essential link which facilitates regular access to their children. It is therefore understandable that when accruing one too many points on their licence threatens to jeopardise the regular contact which they treasure so much, hundreds of fathers contact our firm frightened and confused, seeking expert advice.

Fortunately, at Geoffrey Miller Solicitors, we have a proven track record of helping to save the licences of countless fathers who would otherwise have faced a six month disqualification for totting up, and the restricted access to their children which could have followed.

At Geoffrey Miller Solicitors, we understand that every case is different, and understand the importance of regular contact between father and child.

In most cases, we are able to secure either:

• ·       A short term disqualification in order to prevent the person from totting up in the first place;

     OR

• ·       A finding of exceptional hardship, whereby the person retains twelve or more points on their licence (until their usual expiration after three years). Under these circumstances, the person would not be disqualified at all.

In some cases it is even possible for us to secure a short term disqualification, where the licence is returned clean of points.

In the event that you are in the unfortunate position of totting up and facing a six month ban from driving, we urge you to contact Geoffrey Miller Solicitors to discuss the many ways in which we could help you.

And for the remainder of June 2014, if you are a single Dad, we will automatically apply a 10% discount on your fees.

So, if you are at risk of the loss of your licence, please give us a call on 08000852784.

World Cup Drink Drive Warning!

GUEST POST BY Jonathan Berry

It’s that time again when England’s football fans unite and start to build the hope that it may just be England’s year. Despite everybody knowing we are probably worthy of no more than the quarter finals, we all are advocates of the idea that “you never know, we just may do it!”

Ok, as a football fan myself I know that is unlikely, but we can all dream…

With the World Cup being in the Samba capital of the world, the time difference means that most games will be televised in the evening. This is great news for the pubs and clubs around England who will no doubt be hosting England parties and showing the big games.

This may however also lead to an increase in drink driving convictions with people “chancing it” after a few pints watching the game.

We thought it would be interesting to see how the major EU World Cup participants match up in terms of driving laws and drink driving limits.

England The legal limit is 35µg in breath, 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood and 107ml of alcohol in 100ml of urine. This could result in severe penalties which includes a fine, community orders, imprisonment and a mandatory disqualification from driving of at least 12 month. To air on the side of caution it is advised not to drink any alcohol before driving.	V	Spain   The legal limit in Spain is that the level of alcohol in the blood stream is 0.05 per cent or more. This could result in severe penalties which includes a fine, confiscation of your vehicle and imprisonment. After a traffic accident, all road users have to undergo a breath test.
Italy The legal limit in Italy is that the level of alcohol in the blood stream is 0.051 per cent or more. This could result in severe penalties which includes a fine, confiscation of your vehicle and imprisonment. For professional drivers and those who have held their licence less than three years the alcohol limit is ZERO. It is prohibited.	V	Holland   The legal limit in Holland is that the level of alcohol in the blood stream is 0.05 per cent or more. This could result in severe penalties which includes a fine, confiscation of your vehicle and imprisonment. A lower limit of 0.02 per cent applies to new drivers for the first five years. In some cases a blood test will be necessary after a breath test.
France The legal limit in France for general motorists is 50mg. If a person is found to have between 50mg and 80mg of alcohol in their system then they would be liable for a 135 Euro fine to be paid on the spot and 6 points (if French). The person would not be able to drive until their alcohol level drops below 50mg.  If a person is found to have more than 80mg in their system, then the licence would be suspended for up to three years, there would be a fine of up to 4500 Euros and there is a possible custodial sentence of up to two years.	V	Germany   The drink drive level in Germany is 50mg.  If a driver is found by the police to be over the limit then their licence will be confiscated immediately. They would be banned for a minimum of six months. Fines tend to range between $800 -$2000. If the driver is under 21 years old or has been driving for less than two years then the drink drive limit is zero.

As you will see, each country has different laws and penalties for drink driving. We were shocked to see that in France you can even get a fine and points!
UK out of all of the countries have the highest prescribed legal limit. In the other EU countries mentioned, the blood alcohol level is almost half of that of the UK.  For new drivers in Germany, there is a ZERO tolerance rule which has been mooted in England many times.

The moral of the story is to be extra vigilant during the world cup and beware that “just 2 pints” may lead to a criminal conviction and a mandatory 12 month ban.

If you are unfortunately in need to legal advice for drink driving during the world cup, Call us now on Freephone 0800 085 2784 to speak to one of our specialist motoring offence solicitors. It is only once you decide to instruct us that payment will become necessary and we can often arrange instalment plans to assist you.

Finally, for all of the believers, here is England’s potential route to glory:

GROUP D - URUGUAY, ITALY, COSTA RICA, ENGLAND

 June 14 Manaus, 23:00: England v Italy

June 19 Sao Paulo, 20:00: Uruguay v England

June 24 Belo Horizonte, 17:00: Costa Rica v England
 

LAST 16

Match 50 - June 28 Rio de Janeiro, 21:00: Winner C v Runner-up D

Match 52 - June 29 Recife, 21:00: Winner D v Runner-up C

 QUARTER-FINALS

Match 57 - July 4 Fortaleza, 21:00: Winner Match 49 v Winner Match 50

Match 59 - July 5 Salvador, 21:00: Winner Match 51 v Winner Match 52
 

SEMI-FINALS

July 8 Belo Horizonte, 21:00: Winner Match 57 v Winner Match 58

July 9 Sao Paulo, 21:00: Winner Match 59 v Winner Match 60
 

THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF

July 12 Brasilia, 21:00


FINAL

July 13 Rio de Janeiro, 20:00