What are the penalties for drink driving

At Ashworth Lawyers, we have extensive experience in cases involving drink driving and our goal each and every time is to provide clients with the best possible representation and advice. It is important to understand the serious consequences of a drink driving charge and the importance of having a skilled professional on your side.

In Queensland, if you are caught drink driving you will have to go to court. Here, a Magistrate will decide the length of your license disqualification, whether you should be fined or sentenced to a term of imprisonment. The severity of the penalty depends on the individuals’ circumstances. 

More specifically, on the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at the time of the offence. For a first-time offender with a BAC reading of 0.05% or higher, penalties include a fine of up to $2,012.00, a licence disqualification for 1 – 9 months and up to 3 months imprisonment.

For repeat offenders or those with a higher BAC reading, the penalties are more severe. If this is your second drink driving offence you could face fines up to $8,625, licence disqualifications of up to 2 years and be sentenced to a term of imprisonment by the court.

In Queensland, it is also standard for a person found guilty of drink driving to have a mandatory ignition interlock device installed, that prevents a vehicle from starting if the driver’s BAC exceeds the legal limit.

In addition to legal penalties, drink driving can also have consequences in your personal and professional life. A conviction for drink driving can impact a person’s ability to travel overseas, obtain insurance and find employment. The purpose of these penalties is to deter other Queenslanders from drink driving and protect the safety of other road uses.

On average, 340 Australians per month are found guilty of drink driving. We are experienced criminal defence lawyers regularly representing clients for all traffic matters including drink driving charges. Contact us for a confidential and obligation-free enquiry.

The information in this article is current at the time of writing in April 2024 and is not intended as legal advice.