Jordan lowers legal alcohol limit for drivers under revised traffic law

The Traffic Department of the Public Security Directorate announced revised regulations for driving under the influence of alcohol, as part of the 2025 traffic guidelines.

Under the new regulation, a driver is considered in violation of the law if their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reaches 50 mg per 100 milliliters or more, based on results from an accredited laboratory or hospital.

Drivers found over the limit will be subject to penalties outlined in Jordan’s traffic law.

Previously, the legal limit stood at 80 mg per 100 milliliters, meaning the revised rule tightens enforcement and lowers the permissible alcohol level for drivers.

Offenders face a fine of 250 Jordanian dinars, impoundment of the vehicle, detention of the driver, and a two-month suspension of their driver’s license.

How Much Alcohol Triggers a Violation?

A single 330ml beverage containing 5% alcohol by volume equates to approximately 16.5 mg of alcohol.

Consuming three such drinks would bring a driver close to the legal threshold (49.5 mg).

Four or more drinks would likely push a driver over the limit and into legal violation territory.

No Such Thing as a "Safe" Amount

The Traffic Department said that there is no universally safe quantity of alcohol for drivers, as effects vary based on body weight, age, health condition, and metabolism; the only legally and ethically safe option, it emphasized, is not to drive at all after consuming alcohol.