74-year-old found in the parking lot with a blood alcohol level of 2 after a shopping trip!

74-year-old found in the parking lot with a blood alcohol level of 2 after a shopping trip!

June 22, 2025 was associated with a worrying incident in Jena. In the early afternoon, shortly before 3 p.m., a 74-year-old man was found in a supermarket parking lot on Oßmaritzer Straße. He was lying next to his Fiat and looked very drunk. Passers-by who noticed the man's condition immediately alerted the police. They quickly arrived on site and carried out a breath alcohol test, the result of which was almost 2 per mille, as the Jena news report.

During the interview, the person concerned stated that he drove directly from his garden to the supermarket. The police could hardly explain how his journey had gone without an accident. “With such a blood alcohol level, it is inconceivable that an incident did not occur,” said an official. The police then ordered a blood sample and confiscated the man's driver's license. A criminal case for drunk driving was initiated.

Drunk driving: a big risk

Drunk driving remains a common and serious problem on the road. The proportion of drunk driving should not be underestimated. According to data protection analyses, many traffic accidents can be attributed to alcohol consumption. If drunkenness is suspected, the blood alcohol level is determined using appropriate measurements. Both breath alcohol and blood alcohol tests are used, each of which has its own requirements. The breath alcohol test is usually carried out on site and without medical knowledge and has a high level of legal recognition Fines Siegen explained.

According to regular regulations, the maximum permitted concentration is 0.25 mg/l. However, the results may vary and have different legal consequences depending on the situation. Stressful situations can influence values, and those affected have a legal right to refuse to give evidence to the police.

Drinking and driving: a dangerous combination

To better understand the dangers of drunk driving, let's take a look at the numbers: In the EU, one in four road deaths is caused by alcohol consumption. A current EU project called BASELINE is determining how often road users drive under the influence of alcohol. According to statistical surveys, 86.5% of car drivers stated that they had not consumed alcohol before their last trip. However, there is still a non-negligible number of unreported cases, they report bast.

The numbers are particularly worrying for novice drivers and young drivers, who are more likely to drive under the influence of alcohol. Drunk driving is particularly common on weekends, especially Fridays and Saturdays. While drinking and driving poses great risks, the prevalence during the Corona pandemic is convincing, with a particularly high proportion of vehicle drivers who had not consumed alcohol. Nevertheless, the issue remains an economic and social problem that cannot be ignored.