Although most people are aware of the risks of drink-driving above the legal limit at night, a lot of people get into their cars the morning after a night out drinking, unaware that they could still be over the legal limit to drive.
Just because you’ve been to sleep, it doesn’t mean you’re no longer affected by alcohol. Alcohol is removed from the blood at the rate of about one unit an hour – but this varies from person to person. According to the NHS, the speed at which your body processes alcohol can depend on your size, gender, age, the state of your liver, your metabolism, how much food you have eaten, the type and strength of the alcohol you’ve consumed and whether you’re taking medication. There’s nothing you can do to speed up the rate alcohol leaves your system. Having a cup of coffee or a cold shower won’t do anything at all to get rid of the alcohol. They may make you feel slightly different, but they won’t eliminate the alcohol in any way.
Drivers need to take responsibility and use alternative means of transport after a heavy night drinking.