Never ever drink and drive
In 2023 10% of motorists said that they consumed alcohol before driving in the past 12 months.
33% of these drivers had consumed two or more alcoholic drinks.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has one simple message for those who may not be aware of the dangers of drink driving.
NEVER EVER DRINK AND DRIVE
Never ever drink and drive. You could kill yourself or others. You could end up with a lifelong serious injury or inflict that on others.
Reckless behaviour that endangers fellow road users is socially unacceptable.
Did you know, you may still be over the legal alcohol limit the morning after?
Gardaí now test for drink-driving at checkpoints, after collisions and when stopping drivers for other alleged offences like speeding.
Anyone caught drink-driving faces the prospect of prosecution, losing their licence and seeing their name appear in the local paper.
Drink-driving is socially unacceptable in Ireland – nobody has the right to put others in danger due to their own poor decisions.
Here are just some of the effects alcohol can have on your ability to drive:
- Slowing your reaction times – reducing your ability to react to hazards
- Impairing your ability to multi-task – a critical skill for safe driving
- Causing poor judgement – such as your ability to judge the speeds of other vehicles
- Reducing your attention span – meaning you are less likely to notice other road users
- Causing blurred vision and reduced hearing – making it more difficult to monitor and stay on the road
- Creating over-confidence – meaning you are more likely to take dangerous risks
IT'S NOT WORTH IT
Penalties for drink-driving range from disqualification for 3 months to 6 years depending on the classification of driver, level of alcohol detected and whether it is a first or subsequent offence.
To refuse to give a sample will be an automatic disqualification of 4 year for 1st offence and 6 years for a second and subsequent.
For a learner novice or professional driver who tests over their allowed limit of 20mg, at a minimum, they will receive a €200 fine and be disqualified from driving for 3 months.
If a fully licensed driver is tested at the 50mg limit and they are over the limit, at a minimum, they will receive a €200 fine and be disqualified from driving for 3 months.
WHAT CAN I DO
Plan ahead- If you know you will be having a few drinks plan how you get home, book a taxi, arrange a lift with a friend or use public transport.
Never accept a lift from someone who has been drinking.
Keep friends and family safe-if friends/family are drinking at your home, ensure they have safe transport back, or somewhere to stay until they can safely drive. If you see a friend/family member about to drink drive, speak up.
Avoid walking home- as alcohol impairs your ability.
Remember you could still be over the alcohol limit the morning after.
For more visit rsa.ie
