For people above legal drinking age only
Don’t drink and drive
Don’t drink while pregnant
Drinking and driving
Drinking and driving
Helping people make informed choices about alcohol.
Drinking and driving
Drinking and driving is a dangerous combination. It is irresponsible. It is dangerous. It is illegal.
SUMMARY
Don't drink and drive – make other arrangements
Gender, body fat and the presence of food in your system affects your BAC level
Alcohol impairs your judgement, vision and reaction time
BAC levels can continue to rise even after you have stopped drinking
Drunk driving is illegal, irresponsible and dangerous
Only time will eliminate alcohol from your body
EVERY DRIVER KNOWS THAT DRIVING REQUIRES YOUR FULL ATTENTION AND THE FULL USE OF YOUR FACULTIES.
A responsible driver also knows that someone who has consumed too much alcohol should never drive. Alcohol reduces your visual and auditory functions and slows your reflexes. It affects your ability to concentrate and your judgment. In short, driving under the influence of alcohol is illegal, dangerous, irresponsible and can lead to injury and tragedy, including death.
Criminal penalties for driving under the influence range from fines and licensing sanctions to jail sentences. An arrest for drunk driving can also damage your reputation, self-esteem, family, friendships and employment prospects. Many countries use Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) for law enforcement purposes to measure the degree of intoxication.
BAC is the concentration of alcohol in the blood, expressed as the weight of alcohol in a fixed volume of blood. It is dependent on the amount of alcohol consumed, the rate of consumption, how quickly the alcohol has been absorbed into the body and rate of metabolism. Gender, body fat, weight, whether there is food in the stomach and other factors also influence BAC levels. BAC levels can continue to rise even after you have stopped drinking. The legal BAC limit for driving a vehicle varies from country to country, from 0% (no alcohol at all) to around 0.08%.
To avoid the multiple legal, personal and social consequences, there is only one safe option: don't drink and drive.
THINK BEFORE YOU DRINK BEFORE YOU DRIVE
There are many proven alternatives to the irresponsible and dangerous practice of driving under the influence of alcohol. While they may require a little planning, they may save a life, possibly yours.
Nominate a 'designated driver'
Plan to have someone pick you up
Take a taxi
Arrange to stay overnight
Use public transport
Getting behind the wheel while intoxicated is not an option - it is irresponsible and it can be deadly.
Sobering up
If you have been drinking, nothing but time will eliminate the alcohol from your body. Coffee, cold showers and other so-called remedies will not reduce your BAC level or alleviate the effects of alcohol on your ability to drive a vehicle safely.
Drinking and driving is a dangerous combination. It's also against the law. Be knowledgeable about the laws in your country and don't drink and drive.
DOWNLOAD OUR FACTSHEETS
- For people above legal drinking age only
- Don’t drink and drive
- Don’t drink while pregnant