Drunk driving continues to plague our roads daily. But, what exactly are the laws around drunk driving?
In just the first week of 2023, Cape Town traffic officers detained 66 drunk drivers. On top of that, 128 arrests were made, and 3,643 fines were issued.
Section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996 states that “no person shall on a public road drive a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a drug having a narcotic effect.”
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What is the limit?
The act also goes on to state that “no person shall on a public road drive a vehicle while the concentration of alcohol in any specimen of blood taken from any part of his or her body is not less than 0,05g gram per 100 millilitre.”
Although heavily debated what 0,05g per 100ml means in terms of how many drinks you are permitted to have before driving, the intention of the act is for people to avoid drinking entirely if operating a vehicle.
The drinking limit is an amount of alcohol so insignificant that really you should not be drinking at all before driving.
What happens when you are caught?
If pulled over by an officer on account of suspected drunk driving, it is up to the officer to decide whether or not a breathalyser should be used.
If your alcohol intake is over the limit, you will be arrested and taken into custody where you will be subject to further testing.
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What are the legal consequences of drunk driving?
If caught driving under the influence, you can face up to six years in prison or a minimum fine of R2,000. Your driver’s license may also be suspended.
Either way, you will have a criminal record up to 10 years.
Drunk driving has taken many innocent lives and continues to disrupt the roads. Those few drinks are not worth it.
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