Wiltshire Police dispels myth around drink driving limits
The legal limit for driving in the UK is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath
Police in Wiltshire are warning us that we can be prosecuted if we're involved in a car crash and have any alcohol in our system.
The Force has spoken out to dispel a misconception over being able to drive whilst below the legal limit.
35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath is the UK's legal driving limit, but PC Nick Slade says no one should be getting behind the wheel after any alcohol intake.
He said: "It is not so you can go down the drink and have a couple of halves or two shandies because if you are driving you should not be drinking. Full stop."
PC Slade revealed the law is to protect against accidental alcohol consumption, an example being a Christmas Pudding soaked in Brandy.
"That's going to put alcohol in your system, but it's hopefully not going to take you over that 35," he said.
We're told that if we're involved in a car, even if it's not our fault, we can still be breathalysed and it can lead to us being arrested and charged for driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs.
"There is not just a limit and as soon as you're under that limit, you're OK, you're in the clear," PC Slade said.
Under Section 4 of the Road Traffic Act, there is no limit to the amount of alcohol on our breath, meaning officers can attribute an accident to use being unfit to drive, even if we blow 12 micrograms.
PC Slade said: "I have had prosecutions where people have been disqualified even though they've only blamed 5 because I can evidence that because they've got any alcohol at all in their system that has influenced their driving and then they're unfit to be driving. If you're going to be drinking, you should not be driving."