Tis the season for Christmas parties. If you have not had one yet, then it is probably imminent. After a hard year of working, people let their hair down and enjoy a drink. Unfortunately, getting caught up in the Christmas spirit can also mean that people take unnecessary risks. Taking the wheel because you ‘still feel sober’ or ‘only had a short distance to travel’ can have devastating consequences.
Most people are sensible enough not to risk driving the same evening they have been drinking. However, many fail to realise they could still be over the legal drink drive limit the following morning.
Stephen Scully, a criminal solicitor and motoring law expert with Oswestry firm Lanyon Bowdler advises party goers “You may not feel drunk the following morning, and therefore feel fit to drive, but you could still be over the legal alcohol level.”
On average, it takes one hour for a healthy liver to process one unit of alcohol; meaning just three glasses of wine could take nearly seven hours to leave the system. However, this depends on a number of factors such as weight, gender, age, and even current stress levels, so it is not always easy to tell whether the alcohol will be out of your blood stream.
Stephen continues “If you are not sure, then just don't take the risk. The consequences of a drink driving conviction nearly always lead to a ban from driving, with the worst case scenario being a jail term of up to six months imprisonment. Of course, the consequences are far reaching and much worse should there be fatalities if other drivers or pedestrians are involved. Drink driving can cost lives, your job, and have dire consequences for your future employability.”
Is that drink really worth it?
