Learner driver arrested after almost crashing into gardai and failing drug test in Co Waterford

A learner driver was arrested after almost crashing into gardai and failing a drug test in Co Waterford.

Oficers were on patrol when they met a car on their side of the road which forced them to swerve to avoid a collision on Saturday morning shortly before 9am.

The car was being driven by an unaccompanied learner who was arrested.

The vehicle was seized by the gardai and the person tested positive for cannabis.

An Garda Siochana posted on Twitter: "While on mobile patrol, members from Waterford RPU encountered a car on their side of the road causing them to veer to avoid a collision.

"Vehicle stopped and driver spoken to who was an unaccompanied learner who failed a roadside drug test.

"Driver arrested and vehicle seized."

Learner driver arrested after almost crashing into gardai and failing drug test in Co Waterford (Garda Siochana Twitter)

Meanwhile, Drinkaware has reminded people that if you’re planning on driving the day after a night out, make sure you stop drinking early or switch to non-alcoholic alternatives, and remember:

• It takes at least one hour to process one standard drink
• The time starts from when the last drink is finished if a person finished 3 pints of beer at midnight, they will have consumed 6 standard drinks, this means they need 6 hours from midnight when they stopped drinking before their body will have processed the alcohol and they should not get behind the wheel of a car until 6 am at the earliest
  
• Many things such as your weight, age, gender, metabolism, mood, whether you’ve eaten, etc, can further delay the processing time. 1 hour per standard drink is a guideline only.

A Garda checkpoint at Saint Stepehns Green Dublin. (Gareth Chaney/Collins)

If you’re planning on having a drink when you’re out:

• Leave the car at home
• Plan ahead if visiting a place you haven’t been before, make sure there are alternative options such as buses, taxis or trains
• If in a rural area call the restaurant or pub ahead of time to see if shuttle services are available
• If staying in a hotel/B&B check with the staff for options in taking you to and from places

You can also avail of the drinks calculator on the Drinkaware website which estimates how long it may take to process different alcoholic drinks.