Drinking and driving

The legal limit for driving in the Netherlands is 0.5 grams per liter of blood. This applies to driving a motor vehicle as well as cycling on a bike (although it is rarely enforced while on a bike unless one is a danger to oneself or others). The regulations are even stricter for motor vehicle drivers who have been license holders for less than five years. The blood alcohol limit for these drivers is 0.02%. This lower limit also applies to people under the age of 24 who drive mopeds, motorised bicycles and scooters. If a breath test for alcohol proves positive, you must accompany the police to the police station, where you must blow into a breathalyzer. If the result is positive, you will receive a summons and a driving ban for 24 hours. The results of breathalyzers are accepted as evidence in court. The penalty for drunken driving depends on the level of alcohol in the blood.

Some medical drugs can have the same effect as alcohol. Check the label on medication if you are planning to drive.