Drinking and driving - a deadly cocktail
It's the party season and many of us will indulge in a drink or two. And, as ever, we are quite rightly warned of the dangers of drink driving.
The bottom line is that if you drink, don't drive, even if you are under the legal limit (80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood) as alcohol will affect your ability to drive safely.
The effects can include:
• slower reactions
• increased stopping distance
• poorer judgement of speed and distance
• reduced field of vision
Alcohol also tends to make you feel over-confident and more likely to take risks when driving, which increases the danger to all road users, including yourself.
Am I over the limit?
There is no failsafe guide as to how to stay under the legal alcohol limit or how much you can drink and still drive safely. It depends on:
• your weight, sex, age, metabolism
• stress levels
• an empty stomach
• the amount and type of alcohol
The only safe option is not to drink if you plan to drive. Never offer a drink to someone else who is driving.
The Morning After
If you've been out drinking you may still be affected by alcohol the next day. You may feel OK, but you may still be unfit to drive or over the legal alcohol limit.
You could still lose your licence if you drive the next day when you're still over the legal alcohol level.
It's impossible to get rid of alcohol any faster. A shower, a cup of coffee or other ways of 'sobering up' will not help. It just takes time.
Drink Driving Statistics
• On average 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured each year in drink drive collisions.
• Nearly one in six of all deaths on the road involved drivers who are over the legal alcohol limit.
• Drinking and driving occurs across a wide range of age groups but particularly among young men aged 17-29 in both casualties and positive breath tests.
• The latest provisional figures show that some 560 people were killed in crashes in which a driver was over the legal limit and 2,100 were seriously injured.
• More than half a million breath tests are carried out each year and on average 100,000 are found to be positive.
The Law
• Driving or attempting to drive whilst above the legal limit or unfit through drink carries a maximum penalty of 6 months' imprisonment, a fine of up to £5,000 and a minimum 12 months driving ban.
• An endorsement for a drink-driving offence remains on a driving licence for 11 years.
• Being in charge of a vehicle whilst over the legal limit could result in 3 months' imprisonment, a fine of up to £2,500 and a driving ban.
• The penalty for refusing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine for analysis is a maximum 6 months' imprisonment, up to £5000 fine and a driving ban of at least 12 months.
• Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison, a minimum 2 year driving ban.
So if you are going to have a tipple, drink sensibly, don't drive and have a very merry Christmas.
