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ARTICLE · 15 SEPTEMBER 2026

When Did Drink Driving Become Illegal In The UK?

JMW Solicitors LLP
JMW Solicitors LLP
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JMW Solicitors LLP

JMW Solicitors LLP

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Drink driving laws in the UK evolved over more than a century, from early legislation targeting visible drunkenness to the introduction of scientific breath testing and measurable alcohol limits. The Road Safety Act 1967 marked a pivotal shift by establishing the first statutory blood alcohol limit and roadside breathalyser system, transforming how authorities detect and prosecute impaired drivers.

United KingdomCriminal Law
Hojol Uddin
Hojol Uddin

Drink driving has been prohibited in some form for more than a century, but the law did not develop on a single date. Early legislation focused on whether someone was visibly drunk or unable to control a vehicle. The measurable legal alcohol limit and roadside breathalyser system familiar to drivers today arrived much later.

So, when did drink driving become illegal in the UK? The first law covering drunkenness in charge of transport appeared in 1872, while the first specific offence involving a mechanically propelled vehicle was introduced in 1925. However, the Road Safety Act 1967 created the first legal drink drive limit and introduced breath testing.

This history of drink driving, prepared by the drink driving offence solicitors at JMW, explains how the law moved from subjective assessments of a driver’s condition to scientific alcohol analysis and evidential breath testing. 

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