It’s that time of year once again, end of year office parties, gatherings with friends and family, and of course celebrating the festivities of Christmas and the New Year. It might seem like a good idea to succumb the temptation of getting behind the wheel to make the trek home & save cash on the Uber, or not to have the hassle of going to collect your car the next day…but be warned the dangers of drink driving a very real.
A timely reminder.
I’m sure you’ve seen and heard the public service announcements on radio and TV serving as a reminder of the dangers of drink driving, particularly at this time of year. In Australia, there is a real drinking culture as many of us enjoy a drink in our spare time, equally a lot of Aussies will claim to know when they are over the limit or feel perfectly ok to drive after a couple of drinks, herein lies the danger. In Australia, the limit is 0.05 across states for open class drivers. Alcohol tends to affect people in different ways and is influenced by the size, weight, gender and whether or not the person has consumed food & water. Depending on these factors, one drink may not be equal to one drink for some.
As a general guideline in Australia, the ADF says that Men of average size can drink two drinks within the first hour, and one drink per hour after that. For women of average size, one drink per hour is what is recommended. But is it really worth the risk at this time of year? Keeping under the limit is important not only for your own safety and that of others on the road, but you could risk losing your licence if you get pulled over for a random breath test. If you rely on your licence to get you to and from work, or you need a licence to perform your work duties, this could mean a world of hurt moving forward. Imagine having to come clean to your employer, that you have lost your licence. The implications are simply not worth it.
Alcohol & Fatalities.
Sadly, despite all of the warnings and public service announcements, alcohol still contributes to around 30% of fatalities on the road here in Australia (source: NRSPP). This is a huge worry considering the awareness of the dangers of drink driving, and there is no excuse!
Auto Leaders urges all of our readers to think twice before getting behind the wheel this festive season. For more motoring tips and advice visit: https://www.autoleaders.com.au/category/blog/
