The Christmas season sees many people increasing their alcohol intake as parties and gatherings get underway before the end of the year.
In time for the party season, Drinkaware is busting the common myths that exist around sobering up after a night out.
They’re reminding people that the only way to remove alcohol from your system is to allow your body sufficient time.
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The national independent charity is encouraging the public to be mindful of these myths when they plan to drive the morning after having a few drinks.
A spokesperson said: "Get the facts and be Drinkaware, don’t take unnecessary risks, that can put you, your loved ones, and others in danger on our roads."
Some of the most common myths for ‘sobering up’ include:
- Going for a shower
- Going for a run or exercising
- Drinking energy drinks
- Drinking coffee
- Having a big breakfast
Though the common myths may make a person feel better, they will not get rid of the alcohol from their system any faster.
The only thing that will sober a person up is time. The Drinkaware Annual Barometer 2022, found 87% of people agree that any amount of alcohol impairs your ability to drive.
A spokesperson said: "Many of us do not think about the dangers of driving in the morning after drinking. However, 11% of fatal drunk driving incidents happen the morning after.
"With more people going out for Christmas events, we must remember to stay safe the morning after. We are urging the public to be informed, listen to the advice of the RSA and An Garda Síochána, and keep our roads safe."
Know the facts on driving ‘the morning after’ this festive season:
- It takes at least one hour to process one standard drink
- Examples of a standard drink are, half a pint of beer, a 100 ml glass of wine, or a 35.5ml measure of spirits
- The time starts from when the last drink is finished For example, if a person finished drinking at midnight, and has had 3 pints, they will have consumed 6 standard drinks. This means they need to wait at least 6 hours from midnight - when they stopped drinking before their body will have processed the alcohol and they should not get behind the wheel of a car until 6:00 am at the earliest
- Feeling tired is a common side effect of drinking alcohol as it disturbs your sleep. It is important to never get behind the wheel if you feel tired
- Make sure to plan an alternative route for your destination the next day. buses, trains, The Luas (if in Dublin), and lifts are all great options
- The only way to remove alcohol from your system is time, no amount of food or water will speed up the process
- Remember, 1 hour is a guide. Many factors can impact this
- Fatigue magnifies the impairment effect of alcohol. It is estimated that driver fatigue is a contributory factor in as many as one in five fatal crashes in Ireland every year. Tiredness-related collisions are three times more likely to be fatal or result in a serious injury.
Jennifer Flynn, Director of Communications for Drinkaware commented: "There are so many myths around how to sober up the night after having a few drinks, and Drinkaware wants to remind people this Christmas that although a large breakfast, cups of coffee, showers or exercise might make a person feel better, they simply do not remove alcohol from your system.
"The only way to ensure you’re safe to get behind the wheel the following day is to keep track of how many drinks you have had and give your body the appropriate amount of time for the alcohol to leave your system.
"The drink driving in Ireland information webpage on the Drinkaware website is consistently in our top three most viewed pages.
"The webpage has seen a dramatic increase in views in 2022, (+92% v 2021) with over 139,167 page views. Clearly, this shows that the public wants to do the right thing, to be aware of the dangers of drinking and driving, and are searching for clear information to keep themselves and others safe.
"However, many people forget about the dangers of driving in the morning after drinking. We recently asked our Instagram followers through a poll to select the most common ‘sobering-up’ myths and having a large breakfast or drinking coffee were the most cited. People need to know that there is nothing we can do to process alcohol in our bodies any quicker.
"With just 1 in 10 Irish adults knowing what a standard drink is, clearly more information is needed so that people can make informed and safe decisions over the festive period. There is a clear gap in knowledge about drink driving the morning after.
"This Christmas Drinkaware’s ‘Myths’ campaign aims to inform the public about the morning after drinking and urges them not to take any risks that could put themselves or others in danger. Public transport and lifts to your destination are the safer options."
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