Drinking and driving: no second chances

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Whitney Stork
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  German law prohibits people under the age of 21 to operate a vehicle with any alcohol in their system and people older than 21 can't have more than .05 percent in their system under normal circumstances and .03 percent if involved in any traffic offense or an accident.

German authorities and U.S. authorities report Blood Alcohol Test different. Germany law uses milligrams per milliliters. U.S. law uses grams per 100 milliliters. For example, a .5 BAT in Germany would be a 0.05 BAT in the U.S.

If a drivers BAT is .5 the German authorities will normally suspend your license for one month and charge a € 250 fine. However, Air Force authorities will automatically revoke your driving privileges for one year.

If an accident occurs or there is other evidence of functional defects in ones driving resembling swerving repeatedly or repeatedly crossing the center line, the German authorities reduce the legal BAT to .3. With this charge, one could receive a criminal fine ranging from several hundred Euros to more than € 1,000 depending on the individuals income. In some cases, jail time is possible.

There are several steps that can be taken to make sure you do not get charged with Driving Under the Influence or Driving While Intoxicated. Some of these steps include:

· Adhere to the policy of abstinence or avoid drinking when a vehicle is needed to get back to place of residence.

· Have a plan before engaging in drinking outside of home. Preselect a designated driver and hold them accountable; trust but verify the individual has not drank during the evening.

· Should the plan fail, utilize facilities available to get you home safely. Some options include a taxi, Airmen Against Drunk Driving or a supervisor.

· Utilize the 0-0-1-3 as a guideline when drinking. This rule is not an exact science as BAC level will depend on the individual's body chemistry.