Think! Don’t drink and drive this Christmas

“Think you know the limits? Don’t drink and drive,” is the message motorists are being given by road policing officers this Christmas and New Year. Between now and the New Year, officers from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit (BCH RPU) will be out in force targeting those under the influence of alcohol behind the wheel. They are urging motorists to be sensible in their decision-making before getting behind the wheel during the festive season. Any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive – driving while over the limit can result in a large fine and a driving ban, but that’s only if your drive is incident-free. Inspector Rebecca Rowley-Smith, of BCH RPU, said: “In the past five decades the number of collisions caused by drink driving has fallen sharply, however even one is one too many in our eyes. By choosing to drink and drive, you not only risk your life but those of your passengers and other road users. “The legal drink drive limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, which equates to roughly* four units of alcohol for men and three for women before you become legally unfit to drive. “Some people may believe they can ‘handle’ more than this and still be fine to drive, however, the truth is that any amount of alcohol will negatively affect your ability behind the wheel. It will create a feeling of overconfidence, making judging distance and speed more difficult and slows your reactions so it takes longer to stop. “Having ‘just one more’ could be the difference between where you end up that night; a police cell, a hospital bed, or a body bag – don’t take the risk of not ending up at home, safe with your loved ones. “We would always advise that if you’re drinking, even just one, please don’t drive. Arrange an alternative way of getting home – book a taxi, or ask a friend or family member to collect you. If you’re too far from home, pre-book a hotel room to ensure you are safe to drive the next day.” If you suspect someone is going to drive while under the influence of drink or drugs, call 999 immediately and give the operator as much information as possible. This will help us reduce the number of drink drivers on our roads. *This is a rough figure as it is impossible to say how many units or drinks 35 micrograms represents, as everyone metabolises alcohol at different rates.