Police reported a huge uptake in drink driving and warn that so-called old fashioned advice of being allowed ‘one pint’ before getting behind the wheel should not always be followed
With a sharp increase of drink driving at the end of last year, authorities are cracking down on motorists getting behind the wheel after a pint.
More than 250 people were arrested in West Yorkshire in just one month on suspicion of driving over the alcohol limit. While this is not a new offence, officials have seen a rise in recent times. Despite many Brits engaging in Dry January, experts have suggested that the current drinking guidelines might be off.
Current rules state drivers can have under 35 micrograms of booze per 100 millilitres of breath. This switches to 80 in the blood and 107 in urine. Scotland have slightly tighter rules of 22 micrograms in the breath.
According to a well-known superstition, drivers can enjoy one pint before getting into their car. However, with recent news of a man being jailed despite claiming to have enjoyed just one, experts warn this might be too much.
Thomas Simms claims he did not know he was over the limit when he crashed on the A46 in Leicester. The 33-year-old crashed into the car in front of him. When officers from Leicestershire Police arrived, they suspected Simms of being “intoxicated”.
He failed a roadside breathtest after gave a breathalyser reading of 41 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath. At Leicester Magistrates’ Court earlier in the week, he claimed to have one drink on an empty stomach.
He said: “I had one beer. I went to pick my son up. I’d had no food. It was really irresponsible and I’m really sorry, I haven’t had a drink since.”
Simms was banned from driving for 14 months and fined £650. He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £260 victim surcharge. Now, officials are warning that “one pint” may be enough to raise drivers over the limit.
Expert in General Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Dr. Ignatov, from The Haven Detox, spoke to the Star and revealed several factors which might affect someone’s limit.
They said: “Even though the legal limit for alcohol is often just one pint, the way alcohol affects your body can change depending on a few things. This is why one drink might hit you harder one day than another.
“The legal limit is there to set a guideline, but even if you’re under it, alcohol can still affect your ability to drive. It slows your reaction time, messes with your judgment, and makes it harder to focus or coordinate your movements.
“A lot of people don’t realise this until it’s too late. For example, someone might have one drink, feel ‘fine,’ and get behind the wheel – only to realise later that their reflexes weren’t as sharp as they thought.”
Dr Ignatov gave a few reasons why drivers might be affected:
1. Your size and weight
“If you’re smaller or have less body fat, alcohol can affect you faster than someone larger.”
2. Empty stomach
“Drinking without eating means alcohol goes into your bloodstream faster, making you feel its effects more quickly.”
3. How your body processes alcohol
“Everyone’s metabolism is different. Some people’s bodies process alcohol slower, which makes it stay in their system longer.”
4. How used to alcohol you are
“If you drink often, you might feel less ‘buzzed,’ but alcohol is still affecting your reflexes and judgment.”
5. Other factors
“Medications, dehydration, or even being tired can make alcohol affect you more strongly than usual.”
Experts claim while there are rough calculations which can be done to find out how much alcohol your body can cope with, several factors can change making it void. Adding to this, alcohol doesn’t always clear quickly either. Driving hungover can also count as drunk driving.
The best thing to do is avoid any alcohol when driving.
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