The Legal Alcohol Limit in NZ
18 January, 2022
Alcohol-impaired driving caused a lot of accidents in New Zealand over the years. One measure to keep the roads safe is to have the legal alcohol limit in NZ at 0.05% BAC. The blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the alcohol present in the bloodstream. A high BAC can directly impact the body’s senses and perception. Alcohol can also impair specific skills like driving and operating tools because of its effects on coordination. Therefore, adults must not have a BAC level of 0.05% or more when driving. The ideal way to help keep you and others safe on the road is to check your alcohol level through a personal breathalyser. You can use BACtrack personal breathalysers for more constant and reliable self-tests.
The legal alcohol limit in NZ has two classifications based on age. If you are 20 or older, you must not drive with a BAC level of 0.05% or higher. If you are 19 or younger, your alcohol limit is zero. A zero-alcohol limit means that you should refrain from driving with any amount of alcohol. Moreover, drink driving offences can range from infringement notices, license suspensions, alcohol interlock disqualifications and even possible imprisonment terms. Court-imposed penalties vary according to your age and alcohol level during a police breathalyser test. Additionally, repeat or subsequent offences would have even heavier and harsher penalties.
Legal Alcohol Limit in NZ: Use BACtrack Breathalysers
Fortunately, there is a simple way to avoid drink driving or road accidents. People can check or monitor their BAC or alcohol level through personal breathalyser devices. A device like a BACtrack breathalyser is a small instrument that uses breath samples to determine the BAC. Most BACtrack personal breathalysers use pro-grade sensors to determine the alcohol content accurately. The BACtrack Pro Series utilises fuel cell sensors, the same technology found in police breathalysers. Approximating your BAC based on the measurement of standard drinks can be inaccurate and unreliable. Using a breathalyser is critical since different beverages have different alcohol concentrations. Knowing your exact BAC can help with better decisions when consuming alcohol. It can also help you know when to stop or slow down to not go over the legal alcohol limit in NZ.
Avoiding legal trouble is easy if you know your exact BAC and the legal alcohol limit in NZ. By moderating your alcohol consumption, you can also limit the impairing effects of alcohol in your body. Moderating your drinking can also drastically help improve your safety. Using a breathalyser lets you know when you’ve reached your limits. You can then make better-informed decisions when it comes to safety. Decisions like taking a taxi home instead of driving are easier to make when you know your BAC levels.
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