Morning-after drivers putting lives at risk

27th August 2004

The Daily Mail

Almost three in 10 drivers are putting lives at risk by driving the morning after a night of heavy drinking, it was revealed today.

A total of 28% of 1,000 drivers admitted the offence in a survey by road safety charity Brake and breakdown service Green Flag Motoring Assistance.

The survey comes after recent Department for Transport figures which show that the number of casualties caused by drinking and driving on UK roads rose from 14,980 in 1993 to 20,140 in 2002.

Brake chief executive Mary Williams said: "It is extremely frightening to know there are drivers on the road putting lives at risk because they simply don't realise that they are still unfit to drive the morning after a heavy night drinking.

"Sleeping, showering and drinking a cup coffee do not sober you up. We want drivers to know that there is no excuse to risk getting behind the wheel it if they still feel unfit to drive.

"The message is simple. If you know you have to drive the next morning, don't risk drinking the night before at all."

Drivers at risk

Melanie Denny, from Green Flag Motoring Assistance, said: "It is essential that drivers understand how long alcohol stays in the blood for, as it is clear from our research, some drivers are still putting themselves and others at risk by driving only a few hours after drinking heavily."

Meanwhile, a survey by the Churchill Insurance company showed that while one in three motorists admits to drinking more alcohol in the summer months, as many as 91% do not know the legal drink-drive limit.

Also, most drivers were unaware that many pubs now serve larger-than-usual measures - such as large glasses of wine.

The legal limit for drinking and driving is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, although some individuals can reach that limit after two units of alcohol (one standard glass of wine) while for others it can be almost double that amount.

A standard glass of wine is the equivalent of two units of alcohol, while a large wine is three units. A standard spirit would be one unit of alcohol, while a large spirit would be 1.4 units. The survey showed that:

• 10% of motorists are tempted to drink more due to special drink promotions, such as "buy two glasses of wine, get the bottle free"

• Younger drivers (18-29 years old) are more than twice as likely to be tempted by these offers than the average UK motorist

• Only 21% of regular wine drinkers know what the standard glass of wine is

• Only 10% of regular spirit drinkers know what the standard measure of spirit is

Darren McCauley, head of car insurance at Churchill, said: "It is becoming increasingly apparent that drivers do not know the boundaries for drinking and driving.”

"This means that drivers could be flouting the law without realising it. On top of the obvious dangers of driving whilst over the limit, a drink driving conviction can increase your motor insurance premium and in some cases make it hard to get insurance at all."

to put lives at risk by driving the morning after a night of heavy drinking; casualties caused by drinking and driving; to be still unfit to drive the morning after a heavy night drinking; to sober smb. up; to risk getting behind the wheel; to understand how long alcohol stays in the blood; to know the legal drink-drive limit; the legal limit for drinking and driving is mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood; to reach that limit after two units of alcohol while for others it can be almost double that amount; to increase one’s motor insurance premium; to make it hard to get insurance at all.

4. Read the article. Sum it up.

Answer the title question. Do you know any examples of this kind in this country?