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New research into incidences of drink driving has revealed that as many as five million drivers believe they have driven while over the limit at least once in the past twelve months.
According to the RAC, 16% of those questioned say they think they have been guilty of drink-driving, either immediately after consuming alcohol or the morning after a late night drinking session.
Five per cent say they have driven shortly after having a drink, despite being reasonably certain they would be over the limit, while 3% say they have driven when they may have been over.
Worryingly, a larger proportion admit to believing they have driven when over the limit the morning after drinking heavily the night before. Of the 10% who said this, 2% were sure they had done so while 8% think they might have done.
The research found evidence of a gender split with regards to appetite for risk when it comes to drink driving. Men are apparently more likely to take the risk than women, with both driving straight after drinking and also the morning after.
Geographical differences also were revealed, with Londoners more likely to drive while over the limit. Only 74% of Londoners say they don’t think they have been guilty of this, compared with 84% in the general population and 89% of those who live in rural areas. RAC says this result is surprising, given the better access to public transport provision in the city and the greater dependence of those in rural areas on their cars to get home after a night out.
“Anyone who has been out celebrating during the festive period should be very mindful of not being over the limit when they go to drive the next day,” said RAC road safety spokesman Pete Williams. “Anyone who thinks they are likely to have sobered up enough to drive just because they went to bed for a few hours may just be about to ruin someone else’s Christmas as well as their own.”
“If you are having to think whether you are sober enough to drive then the answer is you probably aren’t,” he said.
“Apart from the obvious dangers of being involved in accidents when drink-driving, police forces will be actively targeting drink-drivers during December so anyone found to be over the limit risks losing their licence as well as a hefty fine,” he added.
The RAC’s warning with regards to heightened police activity is well timed, because Police Scotland’s annual festive drink driving campaign is now well under way, with police officers taking a zero-tolerance approach to driving over the legal limit.
The drink drive limit in Scotland is lower than in other countries of the UK. In December 2014 the limit was reduced to 50mgs of alcohol in every 100 millilitres of blood. The rest of the UK has retained a blood alcohol limit of 80mgs.
“If you choose to drink drive or drug drive you run the risk of being caught, reported to the court, disqualified from driving for a minimum period of 12 months, have a criminal record for a lengthy period and in some cases your vehicle maybe subject to forfeiture,” commented Roads Policing Inspector Campbell Moffat. “Getting caught will no doubt have wider implications in other areas of your life.”
If you have been charged with a road traffic offence, including drink or drug driving, then contact our specialist criminal defence lawyers today.
