Enjoy a festive tipple, but leave the van at home

Hooray, it’s Friday. It has been a long week and for some, this weekend brings on the annual office Christmas party. Time to don your fancy party clothes and have a few well-earned pints on the boss. Just remember though, if you plan to drink, leave the van at home.

My favourite road safety charity the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), have published their weekly motoring tips offering advice on avoiding the consequences of intoxication behind the wheel this Christmas time. IAM chief examiner and Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger, says,

“This time of year brings with it brandy pudding, mulled wine and Christmas parties. If you’re heading out for a few drinks, make sure you have planned your journey home before you start, so that you don’t drive after a drink.”

Rodger offers tips on driving over the Christmas period:

• Don’t try and calculate whether or not you have consumed enough to tip you over the drink-drive limit – it’s almost impossible to get right


• Drinks poured at home are usually larger than pub measures – don’t underestimate how much you’ve had.


• If you drive to a party and drink when you didn’t expect to, don’t risk it. Get a taxi or the bus, or arrange for a friend or family member to collect you.


• If you are involved in a road accident you will be breathalysed even if it wasn’t your fault – don’t risk it, or somebody else’s mistake could become your problem.


• A drinking session the night before can easily put you over the limit the following morning. Organise alternative travel plans for the next day.


• If you know someone has been drinking, don’t let them give you a lift or drive home.


• As well as the danger, the overall cost to an individual is estimated to be £50,000 if you are convicted, through job loss and all the other consequences.


• Pub measures of wine have got bigger, and drinks have got stronger over the years.  Don’t be fooled by “one glass is OK” - it may well be too much

Thanks again to the IAM for the timely advice. You can view more motoring tips on their website by clicking here.

We all know the dangers of drink driving, so let’s keep ourselves safe this season and either go teetotal (an ice cold cola can be nice too) or arrange for alternative transportation if having a festive drink.  I know there can be a bit of ambiguity around the levels of exactly how much alcohol can be consumed before your personal limit is reached and that alcohol effects individuals to differing degrees, but the legal limit still applies whether you have a higher tolerance or not. So, go out and dance your socks off, sing those karaoke Christmas tunes with gusto, and please call a cab or family/friends for a lift home if you’ve had a few drinks.