Statistics say that 17% of the population are caught driving under the influence of alcohol the next day and this figure is getting bigger each year. I have to admit until recently I didn’t fully understand what a unit of alcohol of was and how long it would take to leave my system. For example four pints of Stella doesn’t sound that much but allowing one hour for the body to absorb the alcohol and with each pint consisting of three units it would take thirteen hours before I would be legally able to dive again.

This means that if I finished drinking at 9pm I wouldn’t be legally able to drive until 10am the next day. How many people go on a night out and just drink four pints of Stella? Also on a “good night out” how many people stop drinking at 9pm? Not many I guess, so how many units do you actually consume? When would you legally be able to drive? How many people get up the next day and nip to the shops, go for a driving lesson, pick up or drop off a partner or child at work or a friends house and don’t think about the consequences of their actions?

What are the legal ramifications when someone is caught drink driving? Just a fine and a driving ban? No much worse a criminal conviction which will stay on your record for life meaning that when a criminal record check is required for a job it may prevent you from being employed. Your insurance would be more expensive as well as the driving ban and big fine, also a potential jail sentence if someone was killed or injured by your actions. What if you drove for a living would you still have a job?

These are the legal ramifications what about the moral implications in the UK they stopped running drink drive advertisements because OFCOM received complaints that they were too upsetting and would cause people to have nightmares.
Personally I would prefer to have a gentle reminder about what could happen rather than think about someone having to go to a parent, partner or other relatives house and tell them that their son or daughter was killed or badly injured due to someone else’s poor judgement or “good night out”

So when you planning your next “big night out” before drinking make a mental note of how many units of alcohol you are going to consume, remembering that it takes ONE unit of alcohol ONE hour to leave your body and make sure that if you intend to drive the next day that you stop drinking in plenty of time and don’t allow yourself or another to become a statistic.