Motorists are being warned of an expected drink drive crackdown by police in June. The number of roadside breath tests carried out in June is traditionally far higher than any other month apart from December.
Analysis of Home Office data by breathalyser firm AlcoSense shows that June tests in England and Wales are 53% higher than a normal month. Over a five year period, the average number of motorists stopped by police in June was 42,996 – compared with 28,173 in other months.
“With the weather set fair for the weekend and National BBQ Week in full swing, it’s very easy to drive the next morning with alcohol still in your system – posing a risk to yourself and other road users”, said Hunter Abbott, MD of AlcoSense.
Almost a fifth of drink drive convictions are ‘morning after’ and a third of all breath tests after an accident are conducted in the morning (between 7am and 1pm).
And a new survey reveals that 41% of those planning to attend a BBQ this Summer will drink more alcohol than on a typical lunch or dinner occasion with friends and family.
If you drink four pints of medium-strength beer or four large glasses of wine, it can take up to 14 hours for the alcohol to clear. Just a small amount of alcohol slows your reaction time, inhibits judgment and reduces concentration – increasing the likelihood of an accident
Those living in the West Midlands (52%) are the most likely to drink more at a BBQ, closely followed by Londoners (51%).
Nearly half (46%) of 25-34 year olds admit they will consume more alcohol than normal, although there was almost no difference between men and women respondents.
The poll of 2,000 adults by AlcoSense also found that people living in urban areas (49%) and inner cities (46%) will drink more alcohol at a BBQ, compared with those in village (30%) or rural (33%) locations - where there are fewer public transport options to get home safely.
Government figures estimate that 6,480 people are killed or injured in drink drive accidents, with drunk drivers accounting for 15% of road deaths every year.
