Anyone who drinks that late could still have alcohol in their system early the following morning
A new survey has revealed that more than a fifth (21%) of motorists have drunk alcohol after 10pm and got behind the wheel of their car before 9am the following morning.
Road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, commissioned research company Online95 to conduct a survey of 1,072 drivers across the UK.
In response to their findings, they have issued a warning to motorists that drinking alcohol the night before getting behind the wheel can pose a “serious threat” because a “groggy head” means slower reaction times.
The results of the poll also indicated that 38% of people who have consumed several alcoholic drinks ahead of driving before 9am stopped drinking after 9pm.
A third (31%) of drivers in the previous 12 months had been with a friend or relative who drank alcohol before getting into a vehicle.
Some 72% of this group warned them they should not drive, while 23% said they took no action.
Four out of five (81%) people polled said rehabilitation courses should become mandatory for anyone convicted of a drink-drive offence.
Currently, the courses are offered on a discretionary basis in return for a shorter driving ban.
Drinkaware, the UK’s leading alcohol charity, state that alcohol is removed from the body at a rate of one unit per hour – although this varies depending on a person’s weight, liver health and metabolism speed.
Around three large glasses of wine or three pints of high-strength beer or cider is the equivalent of nine units.
Someone consuming those drinks up to 10pm is likely to still have alcohol in their body at 7am or later.
Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at IAM RoadSmart, said: “Drink-driving is a killer, and drivers may be unwittingly getting into their vehicle in the morning unaware that they could be doing so illegally if they have been drinking alcohol the night before, posing a serious threat to the safety of others.
“Even if they are just inside the legal limit, the level of alcohol in their system will impair their reaction times.”
He added: “Moreover, consuming alcohol impacts on sleep quality.”
Statistics published by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) revealed that 27,837 British motorists were convicted of drink-driving multiple times across an 11-year period, leading up to July 2024.
Some 372 were caught at least four times, including four who were prosecuted on seven occasions.
The drink-drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.
Nowhere else in Europe has a limit above 50mg/100ml.