Drink-driving
It’s an outrage that drink driving is still a major killer around the world, despite so many campaigns to eradicate this appalling crime that kills so many. For example, despite years of campaigning to make drink driving socially unacceptable in the UK, 1 in 6 deaths on UK roads are still caused by drink drivers. [1]
These deaths can be stopped if all drivers pledge to not drink a drop before driving. They can also be stopped by much more police checks in many countries that have inadequate enforcement, communities informing the police about known drink drivers, and lower drink drive limits in many countries.
The effects of alcohol
Alcohol is a depressant drug and even small amounts (such as half a pint of lager) affect drivers’ reaction times, judgment and co-ordination. Alcohol also makes it impossible for drivers to assess their own impairment because it creates a false sense of confidence and means drivers are more inclined to take risks and believe they are in control when they are not. For these reasons, the only way for drivers to be safe is to not drink anything at all before driving.
It is also impossible to calculate how much alcohol you have in your blood (even if you know exactly how much you have consumed), or how long it will stay in your system. The speed at which alcohol is absorbed into your system (and how quickly your system gets rid of it) depends on a large number of factors, including your sex, weight, metabolism, health and when you last ate.
There’s no way of knowing exactly how long it takes to sober up completely after drinking, but it’s probably longer than you think. For example, if you finish a 4th pint of normal strength beer at 11pm, you probably won’t be sober until at least 10am the next day but it could take much longer.
Drinking coffee, eating, sleeping and showering don’t make you sober up any faster. It just takes time.
-Never drink any amount of alcohol if you’re driving
-Never drink if you’re driving early the next morning
-Take responsibility for others: never buy a drink for someone who is driving
-Tell your employer immediately (and in confidence) if you catch acolleague drink-driving, for their own safety and the safety of others
Drink drive casualties and behaviour in the UK
In the UK, drink-drive casualties (deaths, serious injuries and minor injuries) decreased significantly during the 1980s, but rose by nearly a third between 1993 and 2002 (from 14,980 to 20,140). These statistics include casualties caused by drivers over the drink-drive limit, yet many more drink-drive crashes are caused by drivers who only have small amounts of alcohol in their blood. A further estimated 80 road deaths per year are caused by drivers who are under the drink-drive limit, but who have a significant amount of alcohol in their blood.[2]
According to a survey of 1,000 drivers by Brake, the road safety charity, half of UK drivers admit to drink-driving (after drinking any amount of alcohol at least once in the last twelve months), and one in four admit to driving after drinking an amount of alcohol they know is affecting their driving.[3] More than one in four drivers (28%) also admit driving the morning after having a lot to drink, when they are likely to still be over the limit.[4]
The worst offenders
Certain types of driver are more likely to drink-drive than others:
-Male drivers - 89% of convictions for dangerous driving while under the influence of alcohol in 2002 were men.[9]
-Occupational drivers- in Brake’s survey of 1,000 UK drivers, drivers who drive for work were more likely to admit drink-driving (driving after drinking any amount of alcohol, at least once in the previous twelve months) than other drivers (57% compared to 43%).[6]
-Car drivers are most likely to fail a breath test, followed by motorbike riders.[7]
-Young drivers aged 17-24 have the highest level of drink-drive crashes per distance travelled.[8]
The risks
At twice the legal limit, drivers are at least 50 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash. [11]
The law - the drink-drive limit
Drink drive limits vary between nations but can be as low as 20mg of alcohol per 100ml. The current drink-drive limit in the UK is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, significantly higher than the majority of EU countries (the EC recommends a limit of 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood or less). Research shows that a driver’s judgement and motor skills are affected when they are still well below the legal alcohol limit.[12]
An estimated 80 people die each year in UK crashes caused by drivers who are impaired by alcohol but who are under the limit. [13]
Charges and penalties
In the UK if a driver is found to be either over the drink-drive limit, and/or driving while impaired by alcohol, they can receive a maximum penalty of six months in prison and an unlimited fine. Anyone convicted must also receive a one-year disqualification. If a driver kills someone while under the influence of alcohol, they can be charged with death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, which carries a maximum penalty of fourteen years in prison.
Click here for information on the latest campaigns against drink-driving by the UK government.
[1] Road Casualties Great Britain 2003: Annual Report (Department for Transport, 2004)
[2] Drinking and driving fact sheet (Institute of Alcohol Studies, 2004)
[3] The Green Flag Report on Safe Driving 2004: Part one, Fit to Drive? (Brake, 2004)
[4] The Green Flag Report on Safe Driving 2004: Part one, Fit to Drive? (Brake, 2004)
[5] Alcohol and the workplace (Institute of Alcohol Studies, 2003)
[6] The Green Flag Report on Safe Driving 2004: Part one, Fit to Drive? (Brake, 2004)
[7] Road Casualties Great Britain 2003: Annual Report (Department for Transport, 2004)
[8] Road Casualties Great Britain 2003: Annual Report (Department for Transport, 2004)
[9] Motoring Offences and Breath Test Statistics - England and Wales 2002 (Home Office,
[10] Road Casualties Great Britain 2003: Annual Report (Department for Transport, 2004)
[11] Think! Road Safety campaign, www.thinkroadsafety.co.uk (Department for Transport,
[12] Think! Road Safety campaign, www.thinkroadsafety.co.uk (Department for Transport,
[13] Drinking and driving fact sheet (Institute of Alcohol Studies, 2004)
