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A new
survey by the RAC has revealed
that 80 per cent of drivers have no idea what constitutes one unit
of alcohol.
Among
the seven million people happy to drive after drinking beer, wine
or spirits, the majority consume double the number of alcohol units
they think they have, the survey of 800 people claimed.
You
might know the volume of what you are drinking - a pint or a
bottle - but not its strength as each contains different strengths
of alcohol and it is the strength that impairs a driver's ability
and puts them at risk.  |
| Garry
Handley, Gloucestershire Road Safety Unit |
Now
Garry Handley, road safety team leader at Gloucestershire County
Council, is calling for information on alcohol content and how to
work calculate safe drinking limits to be more widely available
to improve public awareness of the risks.
He
says: "It's extremely worrying when people are consuming alcohol
and they don't truthfully know what they are taking.
"People
don't understand drinking and driving anyway and the law itself
when you see it written down means very little when you are at a
bar purchasing alcohol and drinking it."
"I
would like to see more information in pubs, better labelling on
drink products in the supermarket and schools involved because alcohol
is widely consumed.
"Let's
start to look at it properly so people can make informed choices."
The
RAC survey found one large glass of wine or a pint of premium lager
could make a driver fail a breathalyser.
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| Just
one large glass of wine could put you over the limit |
Mr
Handley warns: "There used to be a rule of thumb, although it is
a myth, that two pints of beer is OK if you are driving but that
clearly is nonsense.
"It
varies depending on our weight, your gender, and how you are feeling
- and many beers have different amounts of alcohol in them so it's
important to understand what you are consuming if you are trying
to keep within the law and keep safe.
"Over
the last 20 years we have seen beer increase in strength, the fashion
for young people to consume alcopops and strong continental lagers.
"You
might know the volume of what you are drinking - a pint or a bottle
- but not its strength as each contains different strengths of alcohol
and it is the strength that impairs a driver's ability and puts
them at risk."
Tolerance
Wine-drinkers,
too, could be at risk, he points out.
"At
one time wine would be about 8% alcohol by volume in a fairly small
glass - now it can be a 175ml glass and it can be as high as 13%
and people can find they are being arrested without knowing they
have consumed over the limit.
"It
would certainly put a female driver over because they have a different
tolerance to men."
Many who listen to myths they hear in the pub are caught the
following day because they don't realise how long it takes alcohol
to be released from the body. |
| Garry
Handley, Gloucestershire Road Safety Unit |
Mr
Handley points out that deliberate
drink drivers make up the minority of those convicted.
"Many
who listen to myths they hear in the pub are caught the following
day because they don't realise how long it takes alcohol to be released
from the body.
"There
is a great deal of misinformation."
Mr
Handley says safest thing is not to drink and drive at all.
"Let's
cut out all this complicated science and avoid it completely, bearing
in mind that any amount of alcohol can impair your driving.
"If
you drink, don't drive, has always been our advice - but getting
the consumer to understand what they are drinking would be a good
starting point."
»
How to work out the alcohol units in your drink
What
are your views on drink driving? Have you ever done it? Have your
say by filling in the form below.
| Chris
Skinner - Brockworth |
| It's
great to see that the message is finally getting across. Kevin
was a very lucky boy not to be in more trouble. Right on mate!
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