One in 12 drivers aged 25-44 think they were drunk the morning after

MOTORISTS aged between 25 and 44 are twice as likely to believe they have driven drunk the morning after consuming alcohol than those of all ages, a survey suggests.

An RAC poll of 3,102 drivers indicated that 8 per cent, or around one in 12, in the 25-44 age group think they have got behind the wheel when over the limit from drinking the night before.

That is compared with 4 per cent for drivers of all ages. The RAC warned that “going to bed for a few hours” after drinking does not make it automatically safe for people to drive.

Those in the 25-44 category are also likelier to think they have driven with an illegal level of alcohol in their system shortly after drinking (5 per cent) than motorists of any age (3 per cent).

More than half of respondents (54 per cent) said that they are in favour of more roadside breathalyser tests being carried out by police. Some 43 per cent gave their support for offenders’ vehicles being fitted with alcolocks, which require drivers to provide a safe breath sample before starting the engine.

Simon Williams, road safety spokesman at the RAC, said: “It is concerning to see so many drivers aged 25-44 who think they have driven while drunk.

“We strongly urge every driver to make the right decision when celebrating this Christmas, particularly the day after the night before.

“Just going to bed for a few hours won’t be enough to clear your system of alcohol, particularly if you’ve been drinking heavily at a work Christmas party until well gone midnight.”

Last year research by the University of Cambridge found that half of people are unable to tell when they are too drunk to legally drive.

Drink driving is a criminal offence, with those found guilty of driving while above the legal limit subject to up to six months’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine and a driving ban of at least a year.

Those who are drunk and kill someone while driving can face up to 14 years in prison.

In 2019, about 230 people in Britain were killed in accidents with at least one driver who was over the drinkdrive limit.

An estimated 220 people were killed in collisions involving a driver over the alcohol limit in 2020, Department for Transport figures show.

That was the lowest number since 2015, although the decline was attributed to a reduction in journeys because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of motorists prosecuted for drug driving has more than doubled in two years to 13,700 in England and Wales, with some forces now arresting more drivers under the influence of drugs than drink.

The drink-drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.

The Scottish government reduced its limit to 50mg per 100ml in 2014.