Many of us enjoy going out for a nice meal with old friends and having a drink or two.
But whether you think you've 'only had one' and it's safe to drink, drivers are being warned to avoid being fined over one small but expensive mistake.
The car and van leasing company, Vanarama has shared a warning to the public to avoid standing next to their car whilst under the influence of alcohol.
The warning comes as people could face a fine of up to £2,500 and three months in prison for doing the act.
Urging that if you have consumed more than the legal alcohol limit, you shouldn’t go anywhere near your car as you could be charged with drunk driving.
Under English law, it is entirely possible to be charged with drunk driving without having been behind the wheel.
Seeing that if there is evidence of intent to drive a vehicle whilst under the influence, you could then be charged with drunk driving, this includes standing next to your car.
Other indicators include:
- Being inside your vehicle but not in the driving seat
- Having the keys in the ignition
- Having a reason to drive, such as needing to be at work or having a booked appointment, which provides a clear motivation for you to get behind the wheel despite being over the alcohol limit, can be seen as evidence of your intentions.
With this known, it is advised that drivers should not go anywhere near their car as they could face a drunk driving charge.
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