It is an offence to drive, or attempt to drive, a motor vehicle whilst over the permitted limit or whilst unfit through drink or drugs, be in charge of a vehicle whilst over the permitted limit or fail to provide a specimen if you have been stopped by the police because it is reasonably believed that you are under the influence.

It is an offence for you to drive – or even attempt to drive – a motor vehicle when you are unfit to do so as a result of consuming drink or drugs to the extent that the proportion of it in your breath, blood or urine exceeds the prescribed limit.

It is just as illegal for you to drive under the influence of drugs – whether they are prescribed drugs or illegal drugs – as it is to drive under the influence of alcohol. Drugs can have an effect on both your mind and your body with the result that you are rendered unsafe to drive.

It is an offence for a person to be in charge of a vehicle on a road or other public place if they are unfit to drive through drink or drugs or having consumed so much alcohol that the proportion of it in their breath, blood or urine exceeds the prescribed limit.

There are two types of offence in relation to failure to provide a specimen – failing to provide a road side specimen of breath, and failing to provide an evidential specimen for analysis. This is usually blood or urine and is normally provided at the police station.