The results of a recent survey indicate that drivers aged 25 to 44 are twice as likely to believe they had driven intoxicated the morning after ingesting alcohol.
According to a recent survey of 3,102 drivers conducted by the RAC, 8% of those between the ages of 25 and 44 believe they had been behind the wheel after consuming alcohol the night before.
Compared to drivers of all ages, only 4% of drivers are underage.
The RAC warned that “going to bed for a few hours” after consuming alcohol does not make it safe to drive.
The warning is issued during the Christmas party season’s busiest two weeks, which this year coincide with terrible traffic conditions due to subzero temperatures and snowfall.
5 percent of drivers between the ages of 25 and 44 believe they have driven with an illegal level of alcohol in their system immediately after drinking, the highest percentage of any age group (3 percent).
More than half of respondents (54%) are in favor of police conducting more breathalyzer tests on the side of the road.
In December, police conduct twice as many breathalyzer tests as in any other month of the year, even though the number of roadside breathalyzer tests has fallen to its lowest level on record during the past two years.
More than two in five (43%) support the installation of ‘alcolocks’ on the vehicles of DUI offenders, which are devices that require drivers to give a breath sample below the legal limit before starting the engine.
According to a report issued by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) last year, ministers have been instructed to create and use the devices “as quickly as feasible” to combat the number of drunk driving repeat offenders.
Simon Williams, the spokesman for RAC road safety, stated, “It is really disturbing to see so many drivers aged 25 to 44 who believe they have driven while intoxicated.
“We strongly advise all drivers to make the proper choice when enjoying Christmas, especially the morning following the night before.”
“Going to bed for a few hours won’t be enough to clear your system of alcohol, especially if you’ve been drinking extensively at the office Christmas party until far after midnight,” the author writes.
Approximately 220 individuals were killed in crashes involving an intoxicated driver in 2020, according to the most recent numbers from the Department of Transportation.
This was the lowest number since 2015, although the fall was ascribed to the decline in travel resulting from the coronavirus outbreak.
Just over 250,000 breath samples were collected by police in 2020, according to estimates from the Home Office. This was the lowest number of roadside breath tests conducted on suspected drunk drivers since records began.
Despite the near-certainty of a decline in testing due to the massive drop in traffic volumes caused by the pandemic, particularly during lockdowns, there was a stunning increase in the number of motorists found to be above the legal alcohol limit.
More than one out of every six motorists tested returned positive samples, the highest level since 2002.
Despite an increase in traffic levels compared to 2020, the number of roadside breath tests decreased to 224,100 in 2018, according to the most recent government data released last month.
In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the legal limit for drinking while driving is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 ml of blood.
No other region in Europe has a higher limit than 50 mg/100 ml.
In 2014, the Scottish Government lowered its cap to this level.
