Drink Driving
Background
If you drive after drinking alcohol
or taking drugs you are more likely to be involved in a
crash. Alcohol is absorbed quickly into the blood and travels
rapidly to all parts of the body. It affects your brains
ability to make judgements and process information. It also
impairs your consciousness and vision.
Consuming alcohol prior to driving
increases your crash risk. Studies have shown that drivers
are twice as likely to crash with a BAC of 0.05g/100mL, seven times
more likely to crash with a BAC of 0.08g/100mL, while a BAC of
0.15g/100mL increases the probability of a crash by 25 times.
In addition to this, intoxicated
drivers involved in fatal crashes are three times more likely to
have been speeding than sober drivers.
The Facts
Alcohol is a major contributor to
road crashes in Western Australia. In 2007, over a third of
fatal crashes involved a driver with a BAC greater than
0.05g/100mL. In addition to this around 21% of fatal crashes
involved drivers or riders with a BAC that was at least three times
the legal limit. The South West has the highest proportion of
fatal and hospitalisation crashes (11% of WA total) where there was
a BAC of greater than 0.05g/100mL.
Community Attitudes
In an ongoing survey of community
road safety attitudes, 9% of young (17-39 years) male drivers said
they believed that even if they always kept their BAC undert
0.05g/100mL while driving they would be unlikely to reduced their
chances of having a crash. Approximately 835 thought it
unlikely that they would be stopped for random breath test at any
time of the day. On weekend nights this proportion was
considerably lower (36%).
Drink driving and the law
Currently in Western Australia,
drivers convicted of driving with a blood alcohol concentration
(BAC) over 0.05g/100mL, on a first offence, are liable for a fine
of up to $200 if summonsed to court, or $100 if issued with an
infringement. If convicted of driving with a BAC of
0.08g/100mL or above, on a first offence, drivers are liable for a
fine between $400 and $1,500 and are disqualified from holding or
obtaining a drivers licence for a period of not less than three
months. Futhermore, if a driver is convicted of driving with
a BAC of 0.15g/100mL the fine is between $800 and $2,500 and
drivers are disqualified from holding or obtaining a drivers
licence for a period of not less than six months. Penalties
greatly increase for subsequent offences. For more
information on drink driving legislature visit the WA police
website on http://www.police.wa.gov.au/Traffic/Drinkdriving/tabid/987/Default.aspx
Government Strategies
In an effort ro reduce the
incidence of drink driving in Western Australia, with emphasis on
repeat offenders, the Government is working to introduce a
comprehensive drink driving strategy, informed by research evidence
and international best practice, that includes an alcohol ignition
interlock scheme, rehabilitation for offenders with serious alcohol
problems and initiatives to limit unlicensed driving. The
program is anticipated to commence in 2009/10 following amendments
to legislation.
Standard Drinks Guide
|
|
Mid Strength Beer |
3-4% Alc/Vol |
0.8 Standard drink per 285ml |
|
|
Mid Strength Beer |
3-4% Alc/Vol |
1
Standard drink per 375ml |
|
|
Wine |
10-14% Alc/Vol |
1
Standard drink per 100ml |
|
|
Spirits |
37-43% Alc/Vol |
1
Standard drink per 30ml |
|
|
Pre Mixed Drinks |
5% Alc/Vol |
1.5 Standard drink per 375ml |
|
|
Full Strength Beer |
4-6% Alc/Vol |
1
Standard drink per 285ml |
|
|
Full Strength Beer |
4-6% Alc/Vol |
1.5 Standard drink per 375ml |
Download a printable pdf version of the standard
drinks guide (269.28 kb)
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