Christmas, a time often described as the most wonderful of the year, is once again upon us! With tinsel and fairy lights everywhere, being close to friends and family, and often-times given some form of time off from work or school; it is easy to get carried away with festivities. A time of over-indulgence, whether on presents, food, or indeed; alcohol.
How many times have you heard the old ‘no bro its ok, i’m still good to drive’ after someone’s on their 5th whisky of the evening. Or better yet, the classic ‘you know i drive better when I’m drunk??’ We don’t need to be the ones to tell you, this is definitely wrong and there is no truth behind this. Before we go any further, we’d like you to really think that no distance is beneath what it takes to get into an accident.
What is drinking and driving?
People differ in what they call it — driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, booze and cruise, drunk driving or impaired driving. Call it what you may; it is being in control of a motor vehicle after consuming alcoholic substances.
According to the law in Malta, you can have a maximum of 0.08% Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) in your bloodstream if you are behind the wheel of a car. This equates to a beer, or a small glass of wine, but if you want our advice, if you are driving it is better to steer clear altogether to be on the safe side.
What does consuming alcohol actually do to your body?
- Reaction Time – Alcohol can slow reflexes, which can decrease the ability to react swiftly to changing situations.
- Vision – Alcohol can slow eye muscle function, alter eye movement, and alter visual perception, possibly resulting in blurred vision. Night vision and colour perception also can be impaired.
- Tracking – Alcohol can decrease the ability to judge the car’s position on the road, or the location of other vehicles, center strip, or road signs.
- Concentration – Alcohol may cause attention to driving to decrease and/or drowsiness to occur.
- Comprehension – Alcohol can hinder the ability to make rational decisions.
- Coordination – Reduced eye/hand/foot coordination can be caused by drinking too much alcohol.
Let’s be real, we don’t want to spoil your fun of smashing down a couple of pints surrounded by loved ones. We do, however, want to ensure your loved ones, yourselves, and anyone else along the way, gets home safely when you do! When planning a night out, knowing that you’re going to have a drink or two, keep the following tips in mind:
Designate a non-drinking driver
If you’re a group of friends/colleagues/coworkers on a night out, it’s simple! Take it in turns and so that the one driving gets to enjoy a pint (or two) the next time you go out.
It’s 100% your choice
Don’t rely on anyone to take your keys from you or make sure you don’t drive. The likelihood is they would have consumed alcohol too. Be responsible, have a plan from the beginning of the evening before judgement begins to become impaired. Resist temptation, and don’t take your car our in the first place if you know you will be drinking.
Know your options
When in doubt, call a taxi, phone up a friend/family member, check nearby hotels. As you budget for your new years eve party ticket, and the dress or tux, also budget for a responsible way to get home that evening.
Know your facts
Know your limits, and know your body. Educate yourself with the limits of how much you can consume, however, if even one glass of wine can affect you, avoid it completely.
Don’t let impaired friends drive
Protect others by taking their keys if they attempt to drive after consuming alcohol. They may be mad at you, but you’re a hero in our eyes!
Don’t fall into peer pressure
Never feel pressured to drink alcohol. If you do plan on drinking, opt for the non-alcoholic beverage instead! On the other hand, if you are the only friend with a car, don’t feel pressured into driving anyone home, no matter how closeby they live.
The morning after
Many people happily hop into their cars the morning after drinking without even realising that they are still over the legal limits. Going to sleep does not get rid of alcohol from your system. In general, alcohol is removed from the blood at the rate of about one unit an hour. But this varies from person to person. It can depend on your size and gender, as men tend to process alcohol quicker than women; how much food you’ve eaten; the state of your liver, and your metabolism (how quickly or slowly your body turns food into energy). The best advice, if you don’t want to put yourself and others in danger, and break the law, is to avoid alcohol altogether the night before you have to drive.
The local scene
The European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL) has promoted a week-long campaign across Europe, which started on Monday 9th December 2019, to raise awareness of the dangers of drink driving as well as drug driving. Transport Malta has also stated in their latest festive awareness campaign the importance of reinforcing the message that when it comes to drink driving, ‘the best approach is none.’
MHSA has proudly teamed up with eCabs who advocate prominently each year to promote getting each passenger home safely. Stay tuned for an exciting collaboration launched tomorrow and a chance to win a 50euro eCabs voucher to spend this festive season.
Wishing you a fun-filled holiday season and best wishes for the coming new year.
MHSA Team
