Don’t lose your licence this Christmas!

In a presentation last week at the 2018 National Road Safety Conference THINK! launched their new strategy with the message that ‘mates matter’, and ‘good mates have your back’.

The 2018 festive campaign runs with the strapline ‘a mate doesn’t let a mate drink drive’, and features three new videos showing young men going out their way to look out for each other.

South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership will be touring the county raising awareness around the dangerous consequences of drink and drug driving. Throughout December the team will be out and about giving plenty of free advice and resources to help drivers stay safe on the road and make the most of the festive season.

Officers from South Yorkshire Police will be out in force on the county’s roads looking for motorists who have been drinking or are under the influence of drugs.

In a similar approach North Yorkshire Police are aiming their drink drive message at those people who’d never dream of drinking and driving.

Traffic Sergeant Andy Morton said: “It might be by keeping an eye on mates when they’re out having a drink, or ordering them a taxi and making sure they don’t get behind the wheel if you think they’ve had one too many. Preventing them from driving in the first place could well save a life. Alternatively it could be by sharing information with us about someone who is drink or drug driving so we can stop a tragedy before it happens.”

The police can stop anyone suspected of driving with too much alcohol in their body. The driver will be asked to take a roadside test to measure the amount of alcohol in breath. If over the limit, the driver will be arrested and taken to a police station for further tests – possibly involving blood and urine.

If over the limit, the consequences could include:

• Driving ban for at least 12 months and a large fine
• Prison sentence of up to six months
• Publicity
• Job loss
• Trouble getting into countries like the USA
• Huge increase in car insurance costs, and some companies won’t insure you

There is no way of knowing the level of alcohol in your system the morning after without testing it.

Dr Paul Wallace, Chief Medical Adviser for Drinkaware says; “The amount of alcohol in your bloodstream depends on three things. The amount you take in, over what period of time, and the speed at which your body gets rid of it.”

Sleep has no bearing on the rate at which the alcohol leaves your bloodstream.

Alcohol is broken down in the bloodstream mainly by enzymes in the liver. Drinking lots of water or coffee or even having a cold shower won’t help get rid of the alcohol.

Jeremy commented “It is easy to underestimate how much alcohol remains in your system the morning after. It is far safer not to drive the day after a big night out.”

In you find yourself in difficulties, contact one of our road traffic experts Jeremy Scott or Meghan Waldron at Lupton Fawcett 24/7.

Email: Jeremy.scott@luptonfawcett.law

Tel: 07971 520 407