ABV = Alcohol By Volume

The strength of an alcoholic drink is indicated by the percentage of alcohol by volume (ABV).

A unit is 8 grams of pure alcohol, regardless of the amount of liquid it's contained in.

The following drinks will contain a unit of alcohol,

• about half a pint (300ml) of ordinary-strength lager, beer or cider,
• a 25ml pub measure of spirit or a small glass of fortified wine, such as sherry or port (17.5% ABV),
• a small glass (125 ml) of 8% ABV wine.

Legal Alcohol Limits

• 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
• 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.
• 107 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine.

The chances of a driver having an accident are increased if they drink alcohol. The limits shown above are where the chances of the driver being involved in an accident sharply increase. The limits are based on scientific data and are there as a maximum limit. There is no fail-safe guide to how much you can drink to stay under this limit, and it should always be noted that any alcohol will impair judgement.

Some of the factors that help to determine the level of alcohol in your blood at a given time are: Sex, Weight, Metabolism, Type and quantity of drink, and Age.

Remember that any alcohol even a small drink will impair driving ability.

Alcohol Breathalysers

Alcohol Breathalysers should be used as a guide only and not to try to drink up to the limit.

The best advice is to not drink and drive at all.

If you have had a drink then portable and lightweight breathalysers can be bought very cheaply and may help you decide whether you are over the limit, but the best advice is to not drink and drive at all.

AML201

AML 201™ breath alcohol analyser

Features:

It has a backlit LCD panel for easy night or dark viewing, it comes complete with 18 blowing tubes and a PVC carry case with a belt loop as well as batteries. The range and alert is set for the UK limit of 0.8% BAC, as set in August 2001. Auto shut off after 2 minutes of inactivity.

• Easy to use, simply blow into mouth piece.
• "Don't Drive" warning, set at UK limits.
• Low power consumption with 'Power Save' mode.
• Easy to read backlit LCD display.
• Pocket size.
• Battery operated and reusable.

In essence...
Simply attach one of the tubes and blow for 5 seconds or more, this will give a result after only a few seconds. It will auto reset after 30 seconds.

When it comes to drink driving, most adults act responsibly and either don't drive or drink only within the legal limits.

However, as many law abiding motorists have discovered to their cost, police breath tests conducted the next day have proved positive due to residual alcohol, which the motorist was entirely unaware of.

The portable breathalyser is not to help you see how much you can consume and still drive but is there to make you think "Should I be driving ?".

Ideal as a 'Morning After' residual alcohol test, also useful for parents to check for underage drinking and to check employees operating dangerous equipment.

Check your alcohol level before someone else does, nobody wants the stigma of being a 'Drunk Driver'.

Why have your own breathalyser ?

Apart from being a bit of fun giving your friends a shock when they find out how much alcohol is in their system, on a more serious note if you have had a drink the night before and then want to go out in the morning for a drive, then this little device can give you an early warning that you may still be over the limit before you get in the car.

Always remember. - Alcohol and driving don't mix.