Drink driving

One in six road deaths is caused by drink drivers.

Despite all the publicity, all the campaigns and all the deaths, people still drink and drive.

So here's a question: what is a drink driver?

We often think of a 'drink driver' as a very drunk person. A person who is not a careful social drinker. Someone who has drunk so much alcohol that they can hardly stand, let alone get behind a wheel.

But the truth is that a drink driver is anyone who is over the legal alcohol limit for driving. No matter how little they may be over that limit, or how careful they think they are.

A drink driver is very often someone who thinks they'll be 'alright' with just another pint or even a half-pint. Or the morning after.

How much is too much?

The alcohol limit is there for a reason. It's because the risk of being involved in a crash is dramatically bigger, the more alcohol you drink.

And even a very small amount of alcohol affects our driving skills. It slows down reaction times, gives false confidence and reduces concentration.

It also makes us take risks we wouldn't normally take, even if we don't realise it.

Is drink driving really a problem?

Just look at the facts:

1 in 6 road deaths is caused by drivers over the drink drive limit
every day around 250 drivers fail a breath test
the risk of being involved in a crash increases rapidly with the amount of alcohol drunk
even small amounts of alcohol will affect your ability to judge distance and speed, and will slow your reaction time.

How will I know when I've reached the limit?

You won't, so don't try to guess whether you're alright to drive or not. If you're guessing, then you're gambling with your licence, your life and the lives of other people.

It's far better to avoid drinking at all. Or don't use the car.