THINK! before you Drink & Drive

According to THINK!, the campaign run by the Department for Transport, in the last 30 years road casualties caused by drink driving have fallen dramatically. In 2011, however, there were still 230 deaths due to drink driving – accounting for 12% of all road fatalities. By drinking and driving, you risk your life, those of your passengers and others on the road.

Any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive. You risk a fine of up to £5,000, a minimum 12-month driving ban and a criminal record.

This year THINK! warns motorists of the dangers of driving the "morning after". Contrary to what a lot of people believe, sleep and coffee do not always sober you up after a night of drinking.

It takes a lot longer than most people think for alcohol to pass through the body.
On average it takes around one hour per unit of alcohol, though this can vary depending on weight, build, and gender.

Because of this, there is a real risk that people who would not dream of driving after drinking may still be unwittingly over the drink-drive limit the morning after.

This includes people going about everyday activities such as driving to work, doing the school run, popping to the shops or to see friends.


Here are a couple of facts about drink driving and the ‘morning after’:
• In 2012, 290 people were killed in drink-drive accidents in Great Britain (17% of all reported road fatalities), an increase of around a quarter compared with 2011 (DfT provisional figures).

• In 2011 more people failed breath tests between the hours of 6 am and 11 am than during the hour before or after midnight (ACPO).

We're not saying 'don't drink', but we are saying 'don't drink anything if you are driving' and 'don't drink heavily if you have to drive the following morning'.

Use our 'morning after calculator' to see how long it takes for alcohol to pass through the body.

The Good Garage Scheme would like to wish everyone a safe holiday season. Don't forget to charge your phone and download the Good Garage Scheme's free app before you travel in case you need to contact a garage.