RAC Warns Christmas Partygoers: Don’t Risk Driving the Morning After
With the festive season in full swing, the RAC is sounding the alarm for 25-44-year-olds to think twice before getting behind the wheel the day after a night out. New research reveals a shocking 8% of this age group admit they’ve driven over the legal alcohol limit the next day—double the rate of the general driving population (4%).
Young Drivers More Likely to Take the Risk
The RAC Report on Motoring, surveying over 3,000 drivers, found that 5% of 25-44-year-olds believe they’ve driven with illegal alcohol levels shortly after drinking, compared to 3% among all drivers. Even more startling, 3% admit they’ve definitely driven drunk, higher than the 2% average.
Across all ages, there’s a slight increase in risky drink-driving behaviour, with 7% saying they’ve driven when over the limit in 2022, up from 5% in 2021. Still, this remains well below the pre-pandemic highs of 13% in 2019 and 14% in 2018.
Support Grows for Tougher Drink-Driving Measures
- 54% of drivers back more roadside breathalyser tests.
- 43% want offenders’ cars fitted with alcohol ignition locks.
- 32% think all vehicles should have alcolocks, not just those with prior offences.
- 27% support a legal requirement for all drivers to carry personal breathalysers, rising to 39% among under-25s.
Interestingly, concerns over other motorists drink-driving have plunged from 28% in 2019 to just 14% in 2022.
RAC Spokesman Issues Stern Christmas Warning
“It is very concerning to see so many drivers aged 25-44 who think they have driven while drunk or who know they have, nearly double the figure for all drivers. This has doubled to 18% from the 2021 figure of 9% and is now at its highest level since before the pandemic. Seven per cent of all drivers say they think they’ve driven while over the limit, either immediately after having a drink or on the morning after – a disappointing figure but one that can perhaps be explained by there being no major lockdowns or restrictions on hospitality businesses in the UK over the past 12 months. Encouragingly though, these figures are significantly below the pre-pandemic trend as between 2015 and 2019, the number of drivers who admitted to or thought they had driven while over the limit ranged from 16% to a staggering 20%. With RAC research showing such a decline in those admitting to drink-driving it would be a great shame if we as a society were to revert to the higher numbers seen before the pandemic. We strongly urge every driver to make the right decision when celebrating this Christmas, particularly the day after the night before. Just going to bed for a few hours won’t be enough to clear your system of alcohol, particularly if you’ve been drinking heavily at a work Christmas party until well gone midnight. We also support the THINK! campaign’s message to look out for mates – which encourages everyone to ensure their friends are not tempted to drink-drive. It is far better to play it safe rather than taking an unnecessary risk that could change your life or, worse still, someone else’s.”
