This time also coincides with a nationwide police initiative addressing drink driving, as police forces around the country prepare for a jump in the number of people tested and arrested for alcohol and drug driving offences.While these offences may not appear to be particularly significant when compared to other crimes, the true impact of a conviction is often overlooked.

According to research, losing a licence often leads to the loss of job, which in turn leads to the loss of home because bills cannot be paid, and it is sometimes the final straw that causes a relationship to end. The financial consequences will be seen for many years to come, as insurance premiums will skyrocket.

What we also find is that a large number of persons appear in court with alcohol levels that aren’t particularly high, and where offences were discovered the ‘morning after.’ Offenses that can be claimed to have been committed out of ignorance rather than a conscious disrespect for others.

A single blunder might have disastrous effects.

What is a safe level of drinking if I propose to drive?

No alcohol is the safest level since it assures that your reactions are not hindered in any way when you get behind the wheel.

It also eliminates the guesswork that causes so many people to end up in court.

Urban legends like “two pints is OK” and “back of the envelope” estimates of how long it takes alcohol to exit the body have long been disproven.

Different people react with alcohol in different ways, and even within a single person, this might vary based on a variety of conditions.

Simply feeling capable of driving is not a good measure of whether or not you are under the legal limit.

As we become more cheerful, we approach a tipping point where we can make dumb decisions that will cost us dearly, not only financially but also in terms of damage and even death.

You don’t frequently hear a lawyer say this, but we don’t want to see you over the holidays.

Before you drink and drive, think: Is it worth the risk?

How we can assist

There is a lot we can do to help you if you get into difficulty.

To build a case against you, the police must follow complicated procedures – we can verify that this has been done.

We can also look at things like ‘laced drinks’ and ‘special reasons.’

A well-presented mitigation can make a big difference in the outcome, and even if a disqualification is unavoidable, we can typically shorten the process.