Driving Information

New Drink Driving Laws in NSW, Australia 

Before the arrival of specialised instrumentation for the measuring of Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) in an individual, the standard charge brought against the drunk driver was DUI. The expression ‘Driving Under the Influence’ of intoxicating liquor has become a generic term for Drink Driving. 

In Australia since the early 1970s, various instruments were created for the measuring of alcohol on in someone’s breath at the roadside, such as the ampul which contained yellow crystals which when the breath was passed through, turned green. 

If the colour changed above a specific line on the ampul, the driver was considered to have an alcohol level higher the permissible concentration and was then arrested and taken to the police station where they were submitted to a scientific instrument which gave an accurate reading of the BAC.

New Drink Driving Laws – Police Authority

In our modern society, much has changed. Police have the authority to pull any driver over and conduct a breath test, administering a Random Breath Test. Police are also armed with better equipment for roadside breath testing, which is also more accurate than in previous years.

DUI now has a more expanded meaning than 30 years ago, and for some years now has added those who drive under the influence of not only alcohol but also those under the influence of drugs.

Prescribed Concentration of Alcohol 

The more usual expression now for the Drink Driver who is caught and charged by the Police is PCA. This means that such a person has driven a motor vehicle with the prescribed concentration of alcohol. 

In New South Wales, we have five distinct concentrations which are prescribed as a rang and are as follows: 

(a) Novice Range PCA: 0.00 to 0.02 grams of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

(b) Special Range PCA: 0.02 grams but less than 0.05 grams per 100ml of blood.

(c) Low Range PCA: 0.05 grams or more but less than 0.08 grams per 100ml of blood.

(d) Middle Range PCA: 0.08 grams or more but less than 0.15 grams per 100ml of blood. 

(e) High Range PCA: 0.15 grams or more per 100ml of blood.

To know more about the new drink driving laws information, please feel free to browse below: