en
camera

Alcohol consumption

IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW

  • Any amount of alcohol in the blood affects the driving ability and reflexes of the driver. Accordingly, no one can say for sure exactly what the safe alcohol consumption limits are for a person to drive safely.
  • 1 glass of wine decreases reflexes to half, while 3 glasses of wine will diminish reflexes by 80%.
  • If you are driving with a blood alcohol level which is double the permitted limits, it is 50 times more likely that you will be involved in a fatal collision with your vehicle, compared to a driver who has not consumed any alcohol at all.
  • US statistics show that 40% of all deaths due to road accidents are caused by drinking and driving.
  • According to Eurostat, 1 out of 4 accidents is due to alcohol consumption, while more than 40,000 people in the European Union die every year in road accidents caused by alcohol consumption.

Any amount of alcohol consumed is accompanied by:

  • Delay in your reflexes (double or triple response times)
  • Increase in the safe stopping distance
  • Decreased perception of space and speed
  • Decreased field of vision
  • Sense of over-confidence
  • Decreased “resistance” and inhibitions making it easier to consume even more alcohol.

The effect of alcohol on people depends on factors such as:

  • Weight
  • Gender
  • Age
  • Metabolism
  • Stress levels of the body
  • Whether the driver has eaten before drinking
  • Cumulative alcohol intake

SAFETY ADVICE

REMEMBER… PREVENTION IS EVERYTHING. Do not drink when you are about to drive.

  • Decide on a designated driver beforehand, so that there will be someone who will not be drinking and can drive the others safely home.
  • Do not get into the car of a driver who has been drinking. Instead call a taxi to take you to your destination.
  • If you have guests at home, offer a choice of non-alcoholic beverages and remind them of the dangers alcohol poses to their safety while driving.
  • Stop offering alcohol about one and a half hours before the time you think that the party or dinner will be over and your guests will be returning home.