Getting into the driver's seat the morning after drinking could have serious consequences.
If you have consumed any alcohol, the safest bet is not to drive - but during the festive period especially, many people risk being over the drink-drive limit.
A Freedom of Information request from car and van leasing company Nationwide Vehicle Contracts revealed there were over 3,507 driving under the influence offences in December 2019 alone in the UK - around 113 incidents a day.
READ MORE: Warning issued as most common Omicron symptom confirmed in new report
Drink driving is a very serious criminal offence and motorists can be fined, banned from driving and even face jail depending on the seriousness of the offence.
And you don't have to be caught in a moving car to be hit with a penalty - a motorist caught sitting or sleeping in a car while intoxicated and with keys in the ignition could be hit with a £2,500 fine, up to 3 months in prison and a possible driving ban.
You can find out more about the drink driving penalties here .
The law states that in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the alcohol limit for drivers is:
-
80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood
-
35mcg per 100ml of breath
-
107mg per 100ml of urine
It is important to be aware that reaching this limit is different for everyone.
Weight, age, sex and metabolism, whether someone has eaten prior to drinking, the type of alcohol being consumed, and even stress levels at the time can impact how much alcohol the body absorbs.
As a general rule, the average adult takes about an hour to process one unit of alcohol - and there is nothing that can be done to speed this up.
Drinking water or coffee, or eating a big breakfast, might make you feel better but this will not quicken the time it takes for the alcohol to leave your body.
When can I drive again?
If you know how much alcohol you consumed in one night, there's an easy way to work out roughly what time you should be able to drive, but it's always better to be on the safe side and ensure that you don't have to drive the next morning.
Average figures given by Alcohol Change UK suggest it takes 2.3 hours for each pint of (4%) beer, lager or cider - or for a 175ml glass of (13%) wine - to leave your system.
The charity also says it takes around an hour for a single shot (25ml) of spirits to be processed.
Drink Aware suggests you should wait 1.5 hours for each glass (125ml) of prosecco.
For example, someone who drinks a bottle of wine should wait around 11 hours for the alcohol to leave their system.
Though to reiterate, these are a general guide and it isn’t possible to definitively say when you will be safe to drive as it affects people differently.
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
