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Driving School Tilia
“My friend blew 0.6 per mille. How much will the fine be? Will they take his license away? What happens to him now?”
We hear this question very often. Alcohol and driving simply don't mix, but we all make mistakes. If you want to know what penalties you face if you fail a breath test or have alcohol in your blood while driving, read on.
How much alcohol is allowed?
In Slovenia the blood alcohol limit for novice drivers (up to the age of 21 or in the first two years with a driver's license) is 0.0 per mille. For all other drivers the limit is 0.24 mg of alcohol per liter of exhaled air (about 0.5 per mille in the blood).
Important: young drivers must have 0.0 per mille of alcohol in their blood.
What penalties do you face if you go over the limit?
| Grams of alcohol per kg of blood (per mille) | Milligrams of alcohol per liter of exhaled air | Penalty (PP = penalty points) | |
| up to 0.5 g/kg | up to 0.24 mg/L | €300 + 4 PP | *If the driver shows signs of impaired behavior. |
| 0.5 to 0.8 g/kg | 0.24 to 0.38 mg/L | €600 + 8 PP | |
| 0.8 to 1.1 g/kg | 0.38 to 0.52 mg/L | €900 + 16 PP | |
| over 1.1 g/kg | over 0.52 mg/L | €1,200 (or more) + 18 PP |
If a driver refuses an alcohol test, they face a fine of at least €1,200 and 18 penalty points, the same as for blowing over 1.1 per mille.
What happens to your driver's license?
If you reach 18 penalty points (or 7 for novice drivers), your driver's license is revoked. To get it back you have to pass a follow-up medical check, a psychological assessment and an additional safe driving education program.
Can I keep driving if I fail a breath test?
No. If you are over the limit, you may not continue driving. The police will temporarily take your driver's license and stop you from driving on. You have to arrange other transport or wait until you are sober.
As a novice driver, do I lose my license if I fail a breath test?
Not necessarily. As a rule, the license is taken away for a certain period (usually 6 months), and with any alcohol at all a novice driver immediately gets a fine of at least €300 and 4 penalty points.
CALCULATOR
Blood alcohol calculator
An estimate of your blood alcohol using the Widmark formula, adapted to Slovenian drinks and rules.
What did you drink?
Sex
Body weight
How long since your first drink?
Are you a novice or a professional driver?
You are a novice driver for the first two years after getting your license, or until you turn 21.
The result is for information only and is based on averages (elimination of 0.15 ‰ per hour, usual range 0.10 to 0.20). Real values depend on metabolism, food, medication and other factors and can be much higher. The only reliable measurement is a breath test or a blood test. Tilia Driving School is not responsible for decisions based on this calculation. v1
How long does alcohol stay in your body?
It is important to know that alcohol stays in your body longer than most people realize. An average body needs about an hour to break down the alcohol from one glass of beer, wine or spirits. So if you drank all night, there is a good chance you are still not completely sober in the morning.
What should you do if you have been drinking?
The best advice is simple: if you have been drinking, don't drive. Use public transport, a taxi or ask a friend who hasn't been drinking to drive you home. That way you avoid danger and heavy fines.
What to do if you are already in trouble?
If you have been stopped and you are over the limit, stay calm, follow the police instructions and cooperate. Then make sure you pay the fine as soon as possible, otherwise you will get extra enforcement costs on top.
Finally
We can all make a mistake, but what matters is that we learn from it. Alcohol on the road is no joke, so always drive sober and safely.
If you want to learn more about safe driving and traffic rules, read our other articles or sign up for the CPP course at Tilia Driving School.