Drink driving campaigners warn the pint that puts you over the limit could cost up to £50,000 New research has calculated cost of average first drink-drive offence Between £20,000 and £50,000 in fines, legal bills and lost earnings Government crackdown after rise in alcohol-related road casualties By Ray Massey, Transport Editor It's the pint that could cost you £50,000. Campaigners are warning the drink that puts drivers over the limit can end up costing motorists thousands in fines, legal bills and lost earnings. The Government is launching a crack down on drink-driving in a bid to combat rising numbers of alcohol-related road casualties for the first time in a decade. New research suggests the drink that puts drivers over the limit costs between £20,000 and £50,000 on average in fines, legal bills and lost earnings Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond, said: 'It might only look like a humble pint of beer, but it could end up costing much more than a few quid. In fact, it comes with an eye-watering hidden cost if it pushes you over the limit. Most people know not to drink and drive but a small number still do. Anyone thinking of drinking and driving should be without any doubt. If you are caught driving over the limit, you will face a heavy court fine and lose your licence. You could even go to prison. The Department of Transport has published research which has calculated that averaged personal cost of a first-time drink-drive offence is between £20,00 and £50,000. The Government is launching a crackdown on drink-driving in response to a rise in the number of alcohol-related road casualties (stock images) This includes £5,000 for the maximum court fine, £4,800 for the average legal bill for a not-guilty plea, an £8,000 increase in insurance premiums for the 11 years that a drink-drive conviction remains on a driving licence, and up to £33,000 in lost earnings over 15 months, the average length of a driving disqualification after conviction. Official figures show the number of casualties caused by drink-driving rose by 3 per cent to 9,990 in 2011. There was also a 12 per cent increase in the number of people killed in drink-drive accidents at 280.