June bank holiday weekend is almost here and punters will be celebrating the long weekend with a few pints.
Temperatures are set to hit a sizzling 27 degrees this weekend so sunseekers will be enjoying some well-earned drinks in the sunshine. However, the morning after drinking alcohol can be the most dangerous time to drive.
The current legal limit for experienced drivers stands at 50mg while learner and professional drivers can't have more than 20mg of alcohol in their blood. This means just one drink could push you over the limit.
Read more: Weird European driving laws that could land Irish tourists hefty fines
Under the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2018, drivers will be disqualified from driving for up to 6 months instead and will have to pay fines of up to €400 if found to be in breach of the laws.
This calculator by Drinkaware.ie tells you how long your body takes to process alcohol. A number of things have to be taken into account including the type of alcohol and how much you drank, your weight, age, metabolism, and what you've eaten beforehand.
Director of Communications at Drinkaware, Jennifer Flynn said: "The June bank holiday is just around the corner, and we are urging the public to get the facts about driving the morning after. With it being summer and having longer evenings, we know people will want to be out socialising. Unfortunately, with Bank Holidays, we tend to see a rise in drink driving, accidents and fatalities.
"We want the public to enjoy themselves but also be aware of the dangers of drink driving and knowing how they can minimise the risk."
Here are just some examples of how long you should stay away from your car after having a few drinks.
10 pints of lager/stout
So, let's say you're in the city enjoying the sun and you've had 10 pints of a lager/stout such as Guinness, Heineken, and Carlsberg which are all around 4.5% abv.
Drinkaware says that you can't legally drive for 20 hours after finishing your final drink.
So if you retreat to the comfort of your own bed at midnight, you can't drive until 8pm the following night.
1 bottle of wine
Wine aficionados need to pay attention here. If you work your way through a bottle of your favourite red, you'll have to stay off the road for the following eight hours after you finish.
10 Vodkas and Coke
You'd have to wait eight hours after your final drink before driving.
12 pints and 6 vodkas with mixers
Not only will your hangover be debilitating, but you'll have to stay off the road for the next 30 hours.
Calculate your own
Obviously, these findings are dependent on the individual's metabolism/weight etc.
If you want to calculate your own, then head on over to Drinkaware.ie and remember to stay safe this Bank Holiday weekend.
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