Convicted Driver Car Insurance

Information and statistics

The Crashes

On average 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured each year in drink drive collisions. In 2005, estimates suggested that this made up 16% of all fatal accidents and 5% of serious and slight accidents.

Nearly one in six of all deaths on the road involve drivers who are over the legal alcohol limit.

Drinking and driving occurs across a wide range of age groups but particularly among young men aged 17-29 in both casualties and positive breath tests following a collision. The Government's most recent drink drive campaigns aims to target this group.

When the government first published statistics in 1979, 1,640 people were killed in drink related crashes.

The figures, from 2003, show that some 560 people were killed in crashes in which a driver was over the legal limit.

Some 20,000 lives are estimated to have been saved in the last 13 years thanks to central government drink drive campaigns.

The Body

The legal limit in the UK is 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

There is no failsafe guide as to how much you can drink and stay under the limit.

It can depend on many factors such as the amount and type of alcoholic drink, your weight, sex, age, food intake and metabolism.

The only safe option is not to drink any alcohol if you plan to drive and never offer an alcoholic drink to anyone else who is driving.

Alcohol affects your ability to drive safely as your reaction times are impaired and you're unable to judge speed and distances.

People who drive at twice the current legal alcohol level are at least 50 times more likely to be involved in a fatal car crash.

And if you think you won't get caught, more than half a million breath tests are carried out each year and on average 100,000 are found to be positive.

The Morning After

If you've been out drinking you may still be affected by alcohol the next day. You may feel OK, but you may still be unfit to drive or over the legal alcohol limit.

You could still lose your licence if you drive the next day when you're still over the legal alcohol level.

It's impossible to get rid of alcohol any faster. A shower, a cup of coffee or other ways of 'sobering up' will not help. It just takes time.

The Law

Driving or attempting to drive whilst above the legal limit or unfit through drink carries a maximum penalty of 6 months' imprisonment, a fine of up to £5,000 and a minimum 12 months driving ban.

An endorsement for a drink-driving offence remains on a driving licence for 11 years, so it is 11 years before a convicted driver will have a "clean" licence again.

Being in charge of a vehicle whilst over the legal limit or unfit through drink could result in 3 months' imprisonment plus a fine of up to £2,500 and a driving ban.

The penalty for refusing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine for analysis is a maximum 6 months' imprisonment, up to £5000 fine and a driving ban of at least 12 months.

Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison, a minimum 2 year driving ban and a requirement to pass an extended driving test before the offender is able to drive legally again.

Conviction Codes

Accident offences

AC10 Failing to stop and/or give details after an accident

AC20 Failing to give details or report accident within 24 hrs

AC30 Undefined accident offences

Banned or disqualification offences

BA10 Driving while disqualification by order of the Court

BA20 Driving while disqualified as under age

BA30 Attempting to drive while disqualified by order of the Court

Careless driving offences

CD10 Driving without due care and attention

CD20 Driving without reasonable consideration for other road user

CD30 Driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration

CD40 Causing death - careless driving when unfit through drink

CD50 Causing death - careless driving when unfit through drugs

CD60 Causing death - careless driving with alcohol level above limit

CD70 Causing death - careless driving - failing to supply specimen

Construction and use offences

CU10 Using a vehicle with defective brakes

CU20 Using a vehicle with parts or accessories in dangerous condition

CU30 Using a vehicle with defective tyres

CU40 Using a vehicle with defective steering

CU50 Causing or likely to danger by reason of load or passengers

CU60 Undefined failure to comply with Construction and Use Regulations

CU80 Using a mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle

Dangerous driving offences

DD10 Driving in a dangerous manner

DD20 Driving at a dangerous speed

DD30 Reckless driving (replaced by DD40 from 01/12/91)

DD40 Dangerous driving

DD50 Causing death by dangerous driving

DD60 Manslaughter or culpable homicide while driving a vehicle

DD70 Causing death by reckless driving (replaced by DD80 01/12/91)

DD80 Causing death by dangerous driving

Drink or drugs offences

DR10 Driving or attempting to drive with alcohol above limit

DR20 Driving or attempting to drive while unfit through drink/drugs

DR30 Driving or attempting to drive/refusing or failing to supply specimen

DR40 In charge of vehicle while alcohol level above limit

DR50 In charge of vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs

DR60 Failure to provide specimen for analysis other than driving

DR70 Failure to provide specimen for breath test

DR80 Failure or attempting to drive when unfit through drugs

DR90 In charge of a vehicle when unfit through drugs

Insurance offences

IN10 Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks

Licence offences

LC10 Driving without a licence (replaced by LC20 from 01/12/91)

LC20 Driving while under age. Driving other than in accordance

LC30 Driving after making a false declaration about fitness

LC40 Driving a vehicle having failed to notify a disability

LC50 Driving after a licence has been revoked or refused medical

Aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring

Offences as coded, but with 0 changed to 2 eg LC10 becomes LC12

Causing or permitting

Offences as coded, but with 0 changed to 4 eg LC10 becomes LC14

Miscellaneous offences

MS10 Leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position

MS20 Unlawful pillion riding

MS30 Play street Offences

MS40 Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight or refusing test

MS50 Motor racing on the highway

MS60 Offences not covered by other codes

MS70 Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight

MS80 Refusing to submit to an eyesight test

MS90 Failure to give information as to identity of driver etc.

Criminal offence

NE99 Non-endorsable criminal act

Motorway offences

MW10 Contravention of Special Roads Regulations (excluding speed)

Pedestrian crossing offences

PC10 Undefined Contravention of a Pedestrian Crossing Regulation

PC20 Contravention of Pedestrian Crossing Regulations - Moving vehicles

PC30 Contravention of Pedestrian Crossing Regulations - stationary vehicles

Provisional licence offences

PL10 Driving without 'L' plates

PL20 Not accompanied by a qualified person

PL30 Carrying a person not qualified

PL40 Drawing an unauthorised trailer

PL50 Undefined failure to comply with conditions of Provisional

Totting up

S 19 Disqualification ("totting - up" procedure)

S 35 Disqualification ("totting-up" procedure)

TT99 To signify disqualification under "totting-up" procedure

XX99 To signify a disqualification under "totting-up" procedure

Speeding offences

SP10 Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits

SP20 Exceeding speed limit for type of vehicle (excluding goods)

SP30 Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road

SP40 Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit

SP50 Exceeding speed limit on a motorway

SP60 Undefined speed limit offence

Traffic signals/signs

TS10 Failing to comply with traffic light signals

TS20 Failing to comply with double white lines

TS30 Failing to comply with a 'Stop' sign

TS40 Failing to comply with direction of a constable or warden

TS50 Failing to comply with traffic sigh (excluding stop, lights)

TS60 Failing to comply with a school crossing patrol sign

TS70 Undefined failure to comply with a traffic direction or sign

Unauthorised taking offences

UT10 Taking and driving away without consent or attempt thereat

UT20 Stealing or attempting to steal a vehicle

UT30 Going equipped for stealing or taking a vehicle

UT40 Taking/driving/be carried in a vehicle without consent

UT50 Aggravated taking of a vehicle

Inciting

Offences as coded, but with 0 changed to 6 eg DD10 becomes DD16