Drink driving is when someone drives a motor vehicle while their blood alcohol level is over the legal limit. It’s an illegal offence that puts lives in danger.
Below, we'll discuss:
Yes, you can still get motor insurance with a drink-driving conviction.
Your policy, provider and other factors will influence your price. However, your insurance will always be more expensive after a drink-driving conviction.
Find out more about how penalty points – including drink driving – impacts your car insurance price.
Most insurers, including us, ask you to disclose any driving conviction within the last five years when you’re getting a quote.
You must tell your insurer if you get a new drink-driving conviction while you have an active motor insurance policy.
A conviction may not always invalidate your policy but in most cases, it will.
The decision largely relies on context.
For example, if you injure someone in an accident while drink driving, then your insurer isn’t responsible.
However, insurers are legally responsible for third-party claims costs. But if the accident is your fault because of drink, then they’ll likely claim these costs back.
Drink-driving penalties are serious.
The penalties for driving a vehicle while above the legal limit are:
Driving or attempting to drive above the legal limit:
Causing death through careless driving when under the influence of alcohol:
Other penalties include difficulty travelling to certain countries and issues with your employment.
The drink-driving conviction codes are in two categories – Careless Driving (CD) and Drink (DR):
Conviction | Meaning |
---|---|
CD40 | Causing death through careless driving when unfit through drink |
CD50 | Causing death by careless driving when unfit through drugs |
CD60 | Causing death by careless driving with alcohol level above the limit |
CD70 | Causing death by careless driving then failing to supply a specimen for alcohol analysis |
Conviction code | Meaning |
---|---|
DR10 | Driving or attempting to drive with alcohol level above limit |
DR20 | Driving or attempting to drive while unfit through drink |
DR30 | Driving or attempting to drive then failing to supply a specimen for analysis |
DR31 | Driving or attempting to drive then refusing to give permission for analysis of a blood sample that was taken without consent due to incapacity |
DR61 | Refusing to give permission for analysis of a blood sample that was taken without consent due to incapacity in circumstances other than driving or attempting to drive |
DR40 | In charge of a vehicle while alcohol level above limit |
DR50 | In charge of a vehicle while unfit through drink |
DR60 | Failure to provide a specimen for analysis in circumstances other than driving or attempting to drive |
DR70 | Failing to co-operate with a preliminary test |
Drivers with a drink-driving conviction are considered very high risk which increases your car insurance premium.
If your premium has recently gone up, then read how to reduce your car insurance premium.
The alcohol limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is:
The alcohol limit in Scotland is:
So, after how many units can you drink and drive? It’s impossible to predict as the definition of drink-driving focuses on the volume in breath, blood and urine.
Alcohol effects people differently, and it’s better not to drive if you’ve drank anything.
The drink-driving limits for men and women are the same.
However, alcohol can affect people in different ways. This is due to physiology, genetics and environment.
So, while drink-driving limits are the same, the number of drinks to reach the limit differs from person to person.
Alcohol impacts each person slightly differently. However, anyone who has been drunk can agree that they’re in no shape to drive after too many.
Overall, alcohol causes:
Remember, these effects don’t go away the morning after. You can still have too much alcohol in your system the next day, leading to poorer driving and a possible conviction.
Driving under the influence of drugs has similar effects.