As the festive season gets into full swing, Knowsley Council’s Road Safety team is highlighting the dangers of driving the morning after drinking alcohol.
Many people will enjoy a few drinks as they celebrate this Christmas, and most wouldn’t even consider getting into their car and driving afterwards. However, there is a real risk that people who would never deliberately drink and drive may still be over the limit, or unfit to drive, the ‘morning after’.
This is because 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 a number of factors.
Councillor Tony Brennan, Knowsley Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development commented: “We know that many people will enjoy an alcoholic drink over the festive season and we’re asking people to be aware of how much they are drinking if they plan to drive the following morning as they may still be over the limit or unfit to drive.
“The decision to get behind the wheel of a vehicle the morning after drinking can have very serious consequences, not only for the driver but also potentially for other road users around them.
“You could be driving to work or going shopping and still be over the limit. You could even be driving your children to school and still be unfit to drive. Could you live with yourself if something happened?
“We would encourage people to remember that their safety and the safety of others is vital. If you have been drinking the previous evening and are thinking about driving the next morning, don’t take that risk.”
The Morning After calculator will help you to to calculate roughly when it will be safe for you to drive the morning after drinking alcohol.
During December, the Council’s Road Safety Team has been highlighting the importance of you and your vehicle being safe for the road, advising simple checks to ensure your tyres are correctly inflated with sufficient tread and no visible signs of damage or wear.
The team has also been raising awareness around the potential risks of driving whilst taking legal drugs, as many cold and flu medications contain antihistamines or cough suppressants that can cause sedation. Alcohol intensifies these effects, making it dangerous to drive.
Free breathalysers and tyre tread tools have been given out to everyone the team engaged with.
