A driver in Castilleja de la Cuesta was caught with four times the legal alcohol limit. He claimed vinegar in his gazpacho caused the result. Police observed dangerous driving and multiple violations before the arrest.
A driver in Castilleja de la Cuesta (Seville) is facing possible prison time and a lengthy driving ban after police stopped him for a series of dangerous moves behind the wheel. Officers said he was driving without a seatbelt and using his phone, and his driving was erratic enough to prompt an immediate stop.
When police gave him a breathalyzer test, the result was clear: one milligram of alcohol per liter of exhaled air—four times the legal limit of 0.25, and well above the criminal threshold of 0.60. The man denied drinking and told officers the high reading was due to vinegar in his gazpacho.
In September 2026, Spain's government and Interior Ministry began actively promoting a new initiative to lower the legal alcohol limit for drivers to 0.2 g/l blood or 0.1 mg/l breath, citing a rise in road fatalities over the summer.
Police did not accept his explanation. He was formally informed of his rights as a suspect in a road safety offense, which can mean three to six months in prison, a fine of up to a year, or community service, along with a driving ban of one to four years. The case will go to a fast-track trial, as is usual for these offenses in Spain.
Officers said the man’s driving—erratic movements, no seatbelt, and using his phone—led to the stop. They also noted clear signs of alcohol use, which prompted the breath test. His claim about gazpacho did not affect the legal process, as Spanish law does not accept food ingredients as a defense for exceeding alcohol limits.
This incident comes as Spanish authorities step up efforts against drink driving, especially after a summer with more road deaths. As reported earlier, the government is under pressure to tighten enforcement and lower legal alcohol limits for drivers after a series of fatal accidents.
According to several leading Spanish media outlets, the current legal alcohol limit for most drivers is 0.5 g/l blood or 0.25 mg/l breath, while novice and professional drivers face a stricter threshold of 0.3 g/l blood or 0.15 mg/l breath. Administrative fines for exceeding these limits typically range from 500 to 1,000 euros, with 4–6 penalty points, but surpassing 0.60 mg/l breath is prosecuted as a criminal offense with possible imprisonment.
Spain has some of the strictest alcohol limits for drivers in Europe, and enforcement has become tougher in recent years. The law sets a maximum of 0.25 milligrams per liter of air for most drivers, with even lower limits for professionals and new drivers. Going over 0.60 is treated as a criminal offense, not just an administrative violation. Penalties are severe, reflecting the authorities’ push to reduce road deaths and injuries linked to alcohol. Excuses based on food, medication, or other factors rarely succeed in court. This case shows the current zero-tolerance approach in Spanish traffic enforcement, where creative explanations do not replace following the law.
