Summer is the period of the year in which most Spaniards go on vacation: while some choose to travel far from home, others choose to go to their second residence on the beach or in the mountains. Cities are emptying out while towns and tourist destinations are filling up. The popular festivals and nights out animate the body and soul of those who want to make the most of their days off.
However, to end the fun well it is important not to drive if you have been drinking or taking drugs. It is about protecting yourself, as well as the other occupants of the vehicle and other road users. And, as the DGT recalls, there is no trick that can be used to deceive a breathalyzer or test for prohibited substances. The only way to test negative is to avoid its intake.
Some people believe that there are methods that help lower the body’s alcohol level or that mask its presence so that it is not detected in a control. Nothing could be further from the truth. Drinking coffee, chewing gum, exercising, or rinsing with toothpaste won’t do the trick.
The effects of alcohol on the body depend on several variables. This explains why the same intake does not feel the same to two different people: it all depends on the body size of the person (the lower the weight, the higher the rate), the sex (in women it rises more), the age (those under 18 years and those over 65 metabolize it), the graduation and type of drink, the amount taken, whether the stomach is empty (it passes more quickly into the blood) and other personal circumstances (diseases, fatigue, stress…).
In general, the consumption of alcohol, cocaine and substances such as amphetamines can cause a false sense of security that can encourage more reckless behaviors behind the wheel. As we have said, we are talking about a sensation that does not correspond to reality, since the subject who drives under its effects can suffer from reduced reflexes to vision problems, coordination difficulties and even hallucinations. And all this increases the risk of suffering an accident.
Almost half of those killed in traffic accidents (49.4%) in Spain tested positive for alcohol or drugs, according to data collected by the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences of Spain in its 2021 Report. This is one of the most common causes of accidents in our country; distractions and speeding are other contributing factors.
Remember that the maximum alcohol levels allowed for driving are 0.5 gr/l of alcohol in blood or 0.25 mg/l in breath for motorists in general and 0.3 gr/l of alcohol in blood or 0 .15 mg/l in exhaled air for professional and novice drivers. The latest modification of the Traffic Law established that for minors the limit is reduced to 0.0 grams of alcohol in blood.
This means that a rider under the age of 18 on an electric scooter or moped will not be allowed to get on the handlebars if they have had only one beer. Penalties for testing positive for a breathalyzer test range from a fine of 500 euros and the loss of 4 points on the driving license (between 0.25 and 0.50 mg/l in exhaled air) to 1,000 euros and six points. when it exceeds 0.50 mg/l or tests positive for drugs. The most serious cases can be considered a criminal offense and entail jail sentences.
