As all licenced drivers should know, it is illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol or narcotic drugs. For normal drivers the maximum blood alcohol limit is 0.05mg per 100ml blood or 0.24 milligram per 1 000 millilitre of breath. (Professional drivers’ limits are 0.02mg per 100ml blood or 0.10 mg per 1000ml of breath).

Because the printout of an evidentiary breathalyser is admissible as evidence in court, drivers can be tried within hours, as there are no court delays waiting for the result of blood tests.

If you are apprehended and found to be over the legal limit, you do not have an option of paying a fine. You will be arrested and taken to a police station, where you will be booked and locked up in a police holding cell with other criminals. You will only be charged when you are sober. The punishment for drinking and driving could be in excess of R120 000 and/or 6 years imprisonment. You will get a criminal record, which will count against you for the rest of your life. Your driving license can also be suspended.

Alcohol affects our vision, judgment, balance and reaction time. Because even one drink can affect you, it is advisable not to drink and drive at all. There is no way to sober up quickly. It is a fallacy that showers and black coffee will make you sober. Your liver has to dissipate the alcohol in your body, which happens at a rate 0.02 mg per hour.

If you are involved in a crash while you are under the influence, it will impact on your insurance payouts. Because you have committed an illegal act by driving under the influence, short-term insurers, life insurers and the Road Accident Fund can refuse to pay out claims.