News Break: A Brief Analysis of Drunk Driving Laws by Country

United States of America -- Free-Press-Release.com-- Oct 26, 2011 -- The California personal injury attorneys of JD Law Group today released an overview of drunk driving laws around the world and how they are defined and enforced.

Alcohol is a cause of great concern when it comes to DUI (driving under the influence) regulation since it’s been estimated that one in three road accident fatalities is caused by drunk driving. Most DUI laws contain limits on blood alcohol content (BAC) or the levels of alcohol found in the blood. These BAC limits differ per country and region, and the penalties that come with these offenses are different in form and severity for each jurisdiction as well.

Drunk Driving Laws in Asia

Western Asian countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iran have completely banned alcohol consumption so there are no limits for BAC that are in effect. Elsewhere, the BAC limits range from zero in Jordan, Armenia, etc. to 0.03% in Japan, India and Nepal, to 0.05% in the Philippines and Korea, and 0.08% in Singapore, the highest upper limit recorded. Means of measurement include breathalyzers; where it is not routinely used, traffic law enforcers take suspected drunk drivers in for examination before a government medical officer. Penalties include a fine, the suspension of driving privileges and imprisonment depending on the severity of the BAC. Only Indonesia and Vietnam have no limits on BAC.

Drunk Driving Laws in Africa

In Africa, BAC is not regulated in Angola, Comoros, Congo, and Ethiopia while several countries, including Malawi and Nigeria, implement zero-tolerance for alcohol while driving. Other countries place their limits between 0.01% to 0.08%.

Drunk Driving Laws in North America

Canada has a BAC limit of 0.05% while Mexico and the United States have limits of 0.08%. Penalties are a combination of fines, suspension of license, and imprisonment depending on the number of offenses. Additional stipulation is given by state governments in the US and provincial authorities in Canada. Cuba has a zero-tolerance for drunk driving while other countries in Central America have limits ranging from 0.01% to 0.08%.

Drunk Driving Laws in South America

Countries in South America penalize drivers found with BAC between 0.01 to 0.08%. Only Brazil implementsa zero-tolerance. Penalty includes fines and suspension of license, and imprisonment and revocation of driving rights for those involved in accidents.

Drunk Driving in Europe

In Europe, drivers found with 0.01% to 0.08% BAC face penalties from fines and suspension of license, to possible jail-time depending on liability and jurisdiction. Several countries include stipulations as to driving experience, type of vehicle driven (private, public, or commercial).

Drunk Driving in Oceania

BAC limits vary from 0.01% to 0.15% in Australia and New Zealand. In Australia, different states have additional stipulations with regards to the penalty and the type of offense. Other countries in the Pacific such as Palau, Micronesia, and French Polynesia have BAC limits of 0.01% to 0.05%.

With the increased attention given by traffic law enforcers to driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, offenders are more likely to be caught and penalized before they can cause harm in our roads.-

The Santa Monica car accident attorneys at JD Law Group and SOSPersonalInjury.org have been helping personal injury victims and their families for over twenty years. Contact us today at 1-888-736-4248 for a free car accident case evaluation.

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SOS Personal Injury
Dom Einhorn
1-888-736-4248
http://sospersonalinjury.org/