Motorists are being warned of the dangers of driving the morning after a night of heavy drinking when they may still be over the legal alcohol limit. The Irish Medical Bureau of Road Safety said there was a "significant risk" that a night on the town could leave drivers unfit to drive hours after. Patrick Logue reports.
An MBRS report, to be published later this year, shows that eight per cent of all those breath-tested by gardaí last year who were over the legal limit were caught between 6 am and 4 pm. This is an increase of one per cent on the 2002 figures. Most, 81 per cent, were caught between 9 pm and 6 pm and 11 per cent tested positive from 4 pm to 9 pm.
"The idea that huge numbers of people were being caught in the morning isn't backed up by the figures," said Professor Denis Cusack, of the MBRS. "But this is not to say that it is not a problem. People have to be aware that the body continues to absorb alcohol long after drinking and by 8 am will still potentially have excess alcohol."
Cusack said that even below the legal limit drivers are two to three times more likely to have an accident. "It's about safety not just about getting caught. Sleep does not get rid of alcohol. Coffee, hangover cures or sleeping more may help the side effects . . . but will not change the elimination time."
In general, the human body will metabolise between one and two units of alcohol per hour, depending on body weight and the type of drink consumed. One unit of alcohol is represented by a glass of wine, a glass of beer, or a measure of spirits.
More than 20 per cent of accidents take place from 6 am to midday, according to the most recent National Roads Authority figures. The NRA's Road Accident Facts document points to alcohol being a major factor in road accidents - 30 per cent of all fatal accidents involved only one vehicle, usually pointing to excess speed, alcohol consumption, or both.