By Marc Menendez-Roche •
Updated: 19 Oct 2024 • 12:14 • 1 minute read
The cat’s officially out of the bag! The Spanish Congress has given the green light to a proposal that’ll send shockwaves through many weekend plans, by cutting down the legal blood alcohol limit for all drivers.
What is the new breath test limit in Spain?
That’s right. We’re moving from the old 0.5 grams per litre down to a strict 0.20 grams per litre in blood. And if you think you can outsmart the breathalyser, think again! The new limit will slash the permissible breath alcohol level from 0.25 ml per litre of air to a mere 0.10 ml.
The PSOE-backed proposal squeaked through with 175 MPs voting in favour, with 33 against. But this change won’t kick in immediately.
When will the new breath test limit come into play?
If you’re wondering when you’ll need to start keeping an extra eye on your drink count, the new rules won’t be hitting the tarmac until 2025. First, the Interior Ministry needs to draft a full-don law change, tinkering with Article 20 of the General Traffic Regulations, aka “Blood Alcohol and Breath Rates.”
It’s all part of Spain’s plan to play catch-up with Nordic countries like Norway and Sweden, where drivers have been tiptoeing around tighter limits for years. The Socialist (Labour) party say it’s urgent booze is behind 29% of fatal crashes, and last year, it held the grim title of second-biggest killer on the road.
How much alcohol is 0.2 anyway?
Now, what does this mean for your Friday night plans? Well, how many drinks is too many? Alcohol levels in the bloodstream can swing wildly depending on what you’re drinking, how fast, how much you ve eaten, your weight, gender, and even your booze tolerance. For some, it could be as little as half a small glass of wine.
Those ‘just a couple of beers’ could land you with a reading that puts your licence and your life on the line. As the DGT tightens the noose, it’s time to stay sharp behind the wheel.
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Written by
Marc Menendez-Roche
Marc is a writer, teacher, and language enthusiast with a passion for making complex topics simple and accessible.
With a background in business and legal communication and an interest in educational neuroscience, Marc has spent over a decade teaching and writing.
Now, as part of the team at Euro Weekly News, Marc enjoys diving into entertaining topics and stories that matter to the community.
When he’s not writing, Marc loves practising martial arts, playing football, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or spending quality time with friends and family, but above all, Marc enjoys spending time with his son, Macson.
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