Drink Driving Limit

iffy_2007

Hi,
I am currently doing an assignment on drink driving and am coming across a number of conflicting figures for the BAC. I was under the impression it was 35mg/100mg but a few websites have said it is 80mg/100mg. Anyone know?? cheers!!

Hooch

iffy_2007 wrote: »

Hi,
I am currently doing an assignment on drink driving and am coming across a number of conflicting figures for the BAC. I was under the impression it was 35mg/100mg but a few websites have said it is 80mg/100mg. Anyone know?? cheers!!

35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath

80 milligrams of alcohol per 100millilitres of blood

107 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine

Sections 49 (4), (2) and (3) respectively

iffy_2007

Thanks!!!!

Hooch

iffy_2007 wrote: »

Thanks!!!!

Note: breath is microgrammes....all the rest are milligrams

Bosco boy

the reading in all cases be it breath/urine/blood must exceed the limit for a prosecution. If a person has the same reading as the limit then there will be no prosecution. just in case that crops up at a later stage

MagicSean

Something that's also worth noting is that the reading on breath is actually 17% lower than the actual concentration in your breath to allow for any error on the machine.

Also the penalties on conviction are graded depending on the concentration of alcohol in your body and any previous drink driving convictions.

Hooch

k_mac wrote: »

Something that's also worth noting is that the reading on breath is actually 17% lower than the actual concentration in your breath to allow for any error on the machine.

Also the penalties on conviction are graded depending on the concentration of alcohol in your body and any previous drink driving convictions.

It's 17.5% just to nit pick......also a little know polis fact - blood/urine have 8% taken off in line with best international practice.....it's not just breath

Carawaystick

The mass per volume limit for breath seems open for abuse. There's no temperature or pressure specified. If you breath out air at body temperature into a machine at 10degC theres a 10% difference in temp leading to an error.
Charles Law -- One of those pesky unrepealable laws of Nature

Surely the devices could measure the mass of the air to give a more robust law?

eagle_&_bear

Carawaystick wrote: »

The mass per volume limit for breath seems open for abuse. There's no temperature or pressure specified. If you breath out air at body temperature into a machine at 10degC theres a 10% difference in temp leading to an error.
Charles Law -- One of those pesky unrepealable laws of Nature

Surely the devices could measure the mass of the air to give a more robust law?

You're completely correct and it is why there are big problems with these machines. Tho, playing devil's advocate- that is why you are brought to the station and monitored for 20mins and then retested on the Intoxyliser which is much more accurate. mind you, we still find pot holes in that too, when they come before the District Court -just shows how imperfect our system is

farrela

Is the 17.5% taken off the reading before it is recorded or after. So if a reading was 50mg of breath is it then 41.5 or is it 50 which had been 50 + 17.5%??

Our man in Havana

The latter. A displayed reading of 50 is really 59.

farrela

Thanks. And what about blood? A reading returned from medical bureau of 108 includes the deduction?

Our man in Havana

yes

MagicSean

There is no deduction on blood or urine.

Our man in Havana

The readings are corrected in the lab.

professional20

35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.
107 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.

kegzmc

So how many hours sleep do u need to drink to work after about 10 pints the previous night and a curry chip

ResearchWill

professional20 wrote: »

35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.
107 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.

They are the old limits all changed by the 2010 act. Also different limits if learner or professional.

Procrastastudy

kegzmc wrote: »

So how many hours sleep do u need to drink to work after about 10 pints the previous night and a curry chip

The rule of thumb is 1 hour per unit - a pint is two units. Thats 20 hours from when you start drinking.

I'm actually testing this right now... :pac: