Holroyd City Council

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Drink Driving

Alcohol is a depressant drug which slows down the functioning of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). It impacts upon your mood and behaviour. As the amount of alcohol in your blood (Blood Alcohol Concentration or BAC) increases, so does your risk of being involved in a crash.

Some effects of alcohol and other depressant drugs include:

  • slower reactions and decision making ability
  • blurred vision
  • loss of co-ordination and balance
  • reduced ability to judge speed and distance
  • an increased perception of own ability and over confidence.

Your risk of crashing increases the more you drink:

  • BAC 0.05: twice as likely to crash
  • BAC 0.08: seven times as likely to crash
  • BAC 0.15: 25 times more likely to crash

Mobile RBT - You won't know where, you won't know whenThose planning to drive must be aware of how much alcohol they have consumed.

The legal limit for unrestricted drivers is under 0.05 BAC.

The legal limit for L and P plate drivers is zero BAC.

Bodies function and process alcohol in different ways. Influencing factors are:

  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Age
  • Weight
  • Size
  • Tolerance
  • Gender

If you are planning to drive, obviously, the most effective way to avoid being over the legal limit is not to consume any alcohol at all.

To limit alcohol consumption:

  • Drink low or non alcoholic versions
  • Space out the alcoholic drinks
  • Have non alcoholic drinks between those containing alcohol.
  • Don’t have refills or ‘top-ups’
  • Ask the bar staff for half measures of wine or spirits.

If you are planning to drink or are affected by alcohol:

  • Plan for someone else to take you home such as a designated driver, a venue’s courtesy bus, public transport or calling a taxi or friend.
  • Get a lift with someone who has not been drinking or using drugs.
  • Let people know where you are.
  • Stay at a friend’s house.
  • Tell a friend or let someone know if you’ve taken drugs and don’t feel right to drive.
  • Sleep it off before you even think about driving (even the next day you may still be affected).

Other drugs also impair your driving and mixing one drug with another, or mixing alcohol with other drugs, dramatically increases your risk of crashing.