Harrogate Borough Council
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Service Provided by
Travelwise & Road Safety Manager
Transport Services
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Phone: 01423 556613
Fax: 01423 556510
Textphone: 01423 556543
Knapping Mount
West Grove Road
Harrogate
HG1 2AE
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Road Safety - Drinking & Driving
Don't Drink and Drive
There is no failsafe guide as to how to stay under the legal
alcohol limit or how much you can drink and still drive safely. It
can depend on many factors such as:
- weight
- sex
- age
- metabolism
- stress levels
- amount of food eaten
- amount and type of alcohol consumed.
Any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive safely as
your reaction times are impaired and you're unable to judge speed
and distances accurately. The only safe option is not to drink if
you plan to drive. And never offer a drink to someone who is
driving.
Key facts
If you're convicted of drink driving you'll:
- lose your licence for at least 12 months (which could mean you lose your job)
- face a maximum fine of £5,000
- face up to six months in prison
- pay up to three times as much for car insurance.
Over 50 people are killed or seriously injured each year in
the county where either a driver, or a pedestrian has been
drinking.
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People in the 20-29 age group are most common drivers who
drink. We can enjoy a night out if:
- We take the bus or a cab if we know we have had a drink
- We expect the unexpected from pedestrians and other drivers
- We avoid driving the next day after a big night out. We may still be over the limit
Over the last five years on average 26 people died or were
seriously injured each year because one or more of the drivers
involved in road accidents had been drinking. This represents 5% of
those killed or seriously injured.
On average 25 people are killed or seriously injured each year
in road accidents as pedestrians who have been drinking.
Research shows that even after one drink, a driver's chances
of crashing or striking a pedestrian are greatly increased.
Data on positive breath tests show that whilst the rates of
positive tests amongst young drivers and those over 30 are coming
down, drivers in the 20-29 age group are remaining consistently the
highest.
Nationally
560 people were killed in drink-drive related incidents in 2002
2,800 were seriously injured
There were over 20,000 drink-drive casualties in total in 2002, the highest figure since 1990
7% of all road casualties and 15% of deaths in 2002 occurred when someone was driving when over the legal limit for alcoholMale drivers under 25 had the highest incidence of failing a breath test after being involved in a road accident in which someone was injured