Drink and drug driving laws in Queensland

By the end of this topic you can

• You can state the alcohol limit that applies to you as a learner or P plater.
• You can explain what a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05 means.
• You can list the drugs Queensland police test for at the roadside.
• You can describe what happens to your licence if you are caught.
• You can plan safe ways home that avoid driving after drinking.

What you need to know and understand

• All learner, P1, P2, probationary and restricted licence holders must have a BAC of 0.00 (the no alcohol limit).
• Open licence car drivers must be below 0.05; drivers of trucks, buses, taxis, rideshare vehicles on duty, tow trucks and driver trainers teaching must be at 0.00.
• Queensland's limits are: no alcohol (above 0), general (0.05 or more), middle (0.10 or more) and high (0.15 or more).
• BAC keeps rising for 30 to 60 minutes after your last drink.
• Police can carry out random roadside saliva tests for methylamphetamine, MDMA, THC (cannabis) and cocaine.
• A positive roadside drug test means a 24 hour licence suspension, and any trace of these drugs is an offence.
• For a learner or P plater, a first offence between 0.00 and 0.05 can bring 3 to 9 months' disqualification, a fine and up to 3 months in prison.

What 0.00 means in practice

BAC measures grams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, so 0.05 means 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres. For learners and P platers the limit is zero, so even one drink is too many before you drive.

Many things change how alcohol affects you, including your weight, how much you have eaten, how fast you drank, the type of drink and your health. There is no reliable way to guess your BAC, and coffee or a cold shower will not lower it. Only time does. A big night can still leave alcohol in your system the next morning.

If police test you

1. Police can stop you at random breath testing sites or targeted drug testing sites, or if they suspect you are impaired.
2. A roadside saliva drug test takes about 3 to 5 minutes. A positive result means a second test, then laboratory analysis.
3. If you are over your alcohol limit with a BAC under 0.10, your licence is suspended for at least 24 hours. For 0.10 and over, or if you refuse a test, it is suspended immediately until the court deals with the charge.
4. A court decides the disqualification period, fine and any prison term. After disqualification you return on a probationary licence for at least 1 year, may need to do a drink driving course, and for high-risk offences may need an alcohol ignition interlock.

Medicines and illegal drugs

Never drive after taking illegal drugs, or after prescription or over-the-counter medicines that can affect driving. Read labels and ask a pharmacist if unsure. Driving under the influence of any drug is a serious offence: your licence is suspended immediately until the charge is dealt with, and if it is proven a court can disqualify you for at least 6 months. Our deeper guide, Queensland demerit points for learners and P platers, explains how this fits with other licence sanctions.

Common mistakes

• Thinking a single light beer is fine on your Ls or Ps. The limit is 0.00, so any alcohol is an offence.
• Driving the morning after a party without allowing time for the alcohol to leave your body.
• Assuming cannabis used days ago cannot be detected. Any trace of a relevant drug is an offence.
• Taking cold and flu tablets or other medicines without checking whether they cause drowsiness.

Test yourself: Drink and drug driving laws in Queensland

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Queensland Demerit Points for Learners and P Platers
• Driving in Brisbane Tunnels and on Queensland Motorways
• Hazardous Localities in Queensland