The Legal Blood Alcohol Limit for Driving in NZ
12 November, 2021
When the legal blood alcohol limit for driving in NZ was lowered from 0.08% to 0.05% in 2014, it created a lot of confusion among many sectors. Since alcohol has different reactions from person to person, it’s hard to say how many drinks a person can handle. The breath alcohol concentration (BAC) is the amount of blood alcohol content within a person. Police officers check your BAC to determine your soberness. If your BAC is higher than 0.05%, you are considered legally intoxicated and are held legally liable. Drink driving is a criminal offence, and there are corresponding penalties.
The legal blood-alcohol limit for driving differs by age. The alcohol limit for drivers under twenty years old is 0.00%. A 0.00% alcohol limit means that there should be no trace of alcohol in you while you’re driving. Meanwhile, the alcohol limit for twenty-year-olds and older is 0.05% or 250 mg/litre of breath. BACtrack personal breathalyzers, with their ZeroLine technology, can help track and calculate when and how long a driver’s BAC would return to 0.00%.
The penalties for violating the legal blood alcohol limit for driving in NZ will vary depending on your BAC is. Under-twenty drivers with an alcohol level of less than 150 mg/litre get fines and fifty demerit points on their record. More than 150mg/litre and that person can face disqualification from driving, 50 demerit points, and possible imprisonment. Drivers twenty years old and above with a BAC of 0.05% or more get disqualified from driving, fines, and may face imprisonment. Such penalties could easily be prevented by using BACtrack personal breathalyzers and self-monitoring.
Legal Blood Alcohol Limit for Driving in NZ: Self Monitoring
Having a breath test first could help you know if you are still within the legal blood alcohol limit for driving in NZ. The best way to do a self-breath test is by using a BACtrack personal breathalyzer. A breathalyzer is a compact device that can detect alcohol through a person’s exhaled breath. Just place the breathalyzer’s mouthpiece in the mouth and exhale into it. The device measures the amount of alcohol through an electrochemical process and translates it into BAC figures. Not only can BACtrack personal breathalyzer keep you safe, but it could also prevent its users from acquiring DUI charges.
BACtrack is a trusted brand of high-grade breathalyzers. They have a range of personal and professional breathalyzers perfect for helping you stay within the legal blood alcohol limit. Keeping everyone on the road safe is essential while you’re trying to get to your destination. The idea of knowing your limit is to keep you within reasonable alcohol consumption and not push your boundaries.
Related Articles:
- How to Detect Alcohol in Breath Limit
- Drinking and Driving in NZ
- Information on Drink Driving NZ Penalties