Drink and Drug Use - Vanarama’s Best Practise Guide for Van Drivers

Unquestionably, it is not advisable to mix drinking or drug use while working. Many employers have a zero tolerance attitude towards it, and there is a serious possibility of breaking the law. It is highly conceivable that you could be imprisoned, lose your career and livelihood and inflict injury on another person should you drink or take drugs, and then drive.

Some important facts to be aware of

80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood or 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath is the legal limit for alcohol consumption when driving in the UK

As there are a wide range of factors involved in determining at what point a person is unfit to drive or when a person is reaching their legal limit, it is impossible to determine at what point a person would be driving illegally. 'Drinking up to your limit', is impossible

Alcohol consumption regardless of the amount affects your judgement, hazard awareness, and slows your reaction times, increasing the chances of an accident.

Take into account that alcohol stays in the bloodstream for some time. 1 in 5 people are caught the morning after drinking the night before

Drug use, whether proscribed or illegal can impair your ability to drive, and it can be just as hazardous as driving when drunk.

Many proscribed drugs have side effects such as drowsiness

Driving when unfit through drink or drug use is an offence. If you are charged with any driving offence you must inform your employer straight away, or it could invalidate their insurance

Penalties for driving when under the influence of drugs are just as severe as driving while under the influence of alcohol. For more information see this website: www.dft.gov.uk/think/drinkdrive/

Should you be convicted of drink or drug use while driving, you will receive:

• A criminal record

• A driving ban for at least 12 months. This will be 36 months for a second offence, should there be a previous conviction within the last 10 years

• Should someone be killed as a result of your actions, you could go to prison for up to 14 years

• You will be fined

• You can and probably will lose your job

• You can and probably will find your private car insurance premiums increase dramatically

According to the Reported Road Casualties Organisation, 2060 people were seriously injured or killed in drink driving related crashes in 2008. Around 1 in 6 road deaths involve drivers over the legal limit.