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IS A SPLIT SECOND DECISION DRINK WORTH A LIFETIME OF GUILT?

Drinking and driving doesn't just wreck a victims life - it will wreck yours too.

SHORT & LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES

The immediate consequences of a drink or drug driving conviction are covered elsewhere on the website, but to summarise, there will be:

  • A FINE
    (Unlimited and means tested as a percentage of earnings or other income)
  • A DISQUALIFICATION PERIOD
    (set at a minimum 12 months)
  • PENALTY POINTS on your licence
  • ...AND A CRIMINAL RECORD for LIFE

You will also have a DR10 code on your driving record, indicating a drink or drug driving conviction. This can have serious consequences even after the fine is paid, and the disqualification period is over. A DR10 stays on your driving record for 10 years, unlike points for speeding and similar offences which only last for three years for totting up.

So, you are driving on a form of probation for 10 years. Up to 11 points can be endorsed at conviction, meaning one speeding offence can result in a further ban, good luck in trying to insure a vehicle too!

Prospective or current employers often view driver records from DVLA, a simple enough task. A DR10 will set alarm bells ringing and questions will be asked, such as: Does this person have a drink problem? Will they turn up for work drunk or at all? Will I have to pay an increased insurance premium to allow them to drive one of my vehicles? If the answer to any of those questions is yes, what would you do as an employer?

Just take a moment to roughly calculate how much it costs to obtain a driving licence in the first place, lessons, theory and hazard perception tests, the practical test, buying and insuring a vehicle, thousands of pounds. Is it really worth throwing all that away for the cost of a drink as opposed to the cost of a taxi home? Your job, your family and social life are all at risk as a drink driver, to say nothing of the risk you pose to other road users.

The consequences are long-lasting; it’s not just about the ‘here and now’, your whole future could be compromised.