Four Million Drivers Set To Hit The Road ‘Smashed’ This Christmas

Four million Brits will drink and drive this festive period - risking a crash, being stopped by the police or risking someone’s life. Almost half of these admit it’s because they don’t want to pay for taxis or can’t be bothered to wait in the cold for public transport.

The research, by Churchill Car Insurance reveals one million car drivers admit they would climb behind the wheel this Christmas even if they are over the limit, as many plan to use the ability to walk straight as a guide to whether they can drive or not. A further half a million will hit the road regardless of how much alcohol they’ve consumed.

Drink driving guidelines insist even the smallest amount of alcohol can impair a driver’s performance behind the wheel. But that won’t stop the 100,000 drivers who will set off home after downing between four and five pints, despite the fact that they have experienced some kind of accident while driving under the influence of alcohol.

Frances Browning, spokesperson for Churchill Car Insurance, said, “Drivers should seriously consider the need to take the car before heading out for a Christmas drink. If they do end up drinking alcohol and have the car with them, they must find an alternative mode of transport to get home.  Judging whether they are fit to drive by trying to walk in a straight line is not an effective method and driving while under the influence of alcohol endangers lives and can have serious consequences.”

Surprisingly, drivers between the age of 19 and 25, who have grown up with the anti-drink driving message are the most likely to drink and drive, followed by motorists between 46 and 50 years old.

In a bid to drive sober, many motorists will employ some dangerous methods:

• Around three million believe leaving the windows open while they drive will help them sober up after drinking alcohol
• Two million think if they eat something stodgy before they get behind the wheel they will be safe after a drinking session
• 1.6 million will rely on a cold shower to sober up
• 10 million rely on strong black coffee
• 14 million drink plenty of water
• 600,000 think that chewing gum will foil a breath test
• Incredibly 165,000 believe sucking a copper coin sobers them up enough to drive

 

”Despite consistent Government campaigns to reduce the numbers of those who drink and drive, there are clearly large numbers of risk-takers who are prepared to put other drivers’ and pedestrians’ lives in danger.  Even more worrying are the avoidance myths that drivers believe will sober them up” said Browning.

Tighter Laws

Women believe the laws regarding drink driving should be tightened. More than a third (37 per cent) think there should be an automatic one year ban compared to just 23 per cent of men. Six in 10 women are also keen for a total ban on drinking and driving – compared to just under half (47 per cent) of men.

More than 13 million people have been in a car with a driver they suspect to be over the limit, but just two million have taken the keys and driven themselves. Another 2.8 million insisted the drunken motorists use public transport instead.

 

The research was commissioned by Churchill Insurance and was conducted by 72 Point who surveyed 2000 drivers in October and November 2006.

For more information please contact:

Frances Browning
Churchill Insurance
020 8313 5965
pressoffice@churchill.com