UK motorists warned of stricter drink-drive laws abroad

UK motorists are being warned about much stricter drink-drive laws abroad – which could see them pushed over the legal limit after just one drink.

Statistics also show that drivers are also much more likely to be breathalysed overseas.

Spain and France are the top holiday destinations for British tourists. Spain is set to bring its drink-drive limit down to just 20mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (0.2% BAC) – bringing it in line with other European countries like Sweden, Poland and Norway.

This is just a quarter of the English and Welsh limit of 0.8% BAC. It means just a single drink could tip drivers over the legal limit.

France, Germany, Italy and Portugal all have a lower 0.5% BAC limit than the UK, sometimes with even stricter thresholds for novice drivers.

European fines are also steep, warned Hunter Abbott, MD of breathalyser firm AlcoSense. "If you’re over the limit, you could be fined €1000 or more. In France, you could face a €4500 fine and up to two years in prison."

Random breath testing is carried out in all European countries except Germany. In the UK, you can only be tested if you’ve committed a traffic offence, been involved in an accident or police have reason ot suspect you’ve been drinking.

This makes it far more likely that you’ll be breathalysed abroad.

Many British drivers are actively being pursued by the European authorities, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

Since March 2023, the Spanish authorities have submitted more than 37,000 requests to the DVLA to access British driver details.

The requests, explained AlcoSense, are part of a bilateral agreement allowing Spain to pursue UK motorists for offences like speeding, red light violations and drink-driving – even once they’ve returned home.

The French authorities are sending tens of thousands of motoring fines to Brits, too. This is despite no formal post-Brexit data-sharing agreement.

Nearly 63,000 fines were issued to UK-registered vehicles in 2023, even though the UK is no longer listed as a data-sharing partner. "How this is happening remains unclear," says Abbott.

Abbott warns that France has dramatically stepped up roadside testing after a rise in fatal accidents linked to alcohol or drugs.

"French police are 20 times more likely to breathalyse drivers than their UK counterparts. They test 109 drivers per 1000 people, compared to just 5 per 1000 in Britain. Even in Spain, the figure is 96 per 1000."

It’s not just driving straight after drinking that’s risky either, he says. "Many drivers don’t realise that alcohol can stay in the system for hours after drinking. Four large glasses of wine can take up to 14 hours to fully clear."