Christmas is a time for many to relax a little, catch up with friends and family - and enjoy a few drinks.

But as one in five motorists admit driving the morning after drinking heavily, it can lead to disastrous consequences around a time packed full of parties and nights down the pub.

But what is the legal limit and how long do you need to wait before getting behind the wheel?

Road safety charity Brake found 20 per cent of motorists confessed to hitting the road first thing after a big night just hours earlier, the Mirror reports .

Some believe that if they have been to sleep, that means they are all right to drive - but in fact, you could wake up still over the limit.

Drinkaware’s Chief Medical Adviser Dr Paul Wallace said: “The amount of alcohol in your bloodstream depends on three things; the amount you take in, over what period of time and the speed at which your body gets rid of it.”

Here’s what you need to know:

What is the legal drink driving limit?

In Northern Ireland the limit is 35mg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, 80mg of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood or 107mg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.

In England and Wales the limit is 80mg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath or 107mg per 100 millilitres of urine. This limit was imposed in 1966 when the Road Safety Bill was introduced. In 1967 the breathalyser was introduced as a way of testing a person's blood alcohol level.

In Scotland the limit was reduced in 2014 too 50mg of alcohol in every 100 millilitres of blood. The breath alcohol equivalent was reduced to 22 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

In most other European countries, the limit is less, usually 50 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood.

In America the nationwide limit is 80mg but the "driving under the influence" or DUI offence does not require someone to be over a specific blood alcohol level.

Australia has a a nationwide limit of 50mg for older drivers but a zero-tolerance policy for inexperienced drivers in most states.

Most European countries have a limit of 50mg, which is lowered to 20mg or 30mg for drivers who have held licences for under two years.

Some countries in Africa including Ethiopia and Malawi have no legal drink drive limit, but other nations have a zero tolerance approach.

How long you need to wait before driving after drinking the night before - based on rough estimates

According to the Morning After campaign :

- 8 pints of beer = 17 hours before driving from when you've stopped drinking

- One bottle of wine = 11 hours before driving from when you've stopped drinking

- Two mojitos, a margarita and a pina colada = 10 and a half hours before driving from when you've stopped drinking

- Three single gins and a Jagermeister = 6 and a half hours before driving from when you've stopped drinking

- 2 pints of lager and 2 ciders = 12 hours before driving from when you've stopped drinking.

N.B. The Morning After calculator is only a rough estimate of when it is safe to drive the morning after you have stopped drinking and will not help you if you are arrested.

The figures above are estimates and vary depending on the individual.

So how much can I drink and still be under the limit?

The amount of alcohol you can drink before you're considered over the limit varies from person to person. It depends on:

  • The type and amount of alcohol you’re drinking
  • Your stress levels
  • What you’ve eaten




How quickly is alcohol removed from the body?

Alcohol is removed from the blood at the rate of about one unit an hour - but this varies from person to person.


Can you speed up the process?

No. Drinking lots of water, or eating a big breakfast might help ‘sober you up’, but it won’t actually quicken the speed at which alcohol leaves the body, according to Dr Wallace.


What to do if you need to drive the next day

Drinkaware suggests the following:

  • Opt for lower strength drinks - that’s 4% ABV or lower beer and 12% ABV or lower wine.
  • Choose single measures instead of doubles.
  • Make every other drink a soft drink.
  • Stop drinking before the end of the night, so your body has time to process the alcohol before the morning.

What will happen if I'm caught drink driving?

Drink driving is a criminal offence and you can be fined, banned from driving or even face jail depending on the seriousness of the offence.

If you are found to be in charge of of a vehicle while above the legal limit or unfit through drink you could face up to three months' imprisonment, up to a £2,500 fine and a possible driving ban. This means you don't even have to be driving to face punishment you could just be sat in your car with, for example, your keys in the ignition.

If you are caught driving or attempting to drive while over the limit you could face six months’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine or a driving ban for at least one year (three years if convicted twice in 10 years).

You can't escape justice by refusing to provide a breath specimen or blood or urine. If you refuse to do this it could lead to six months' jail, an unlimited fine or a ban from driving for at least a year.

Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink could result in 14 years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, a ban from driving for at least two years or an extended driving test before your licence is returned.

How do I report a suspected drink driver?

If you see someone who you suspect is over the limit or a danger on the road call 999 and report it after making a note of the vehicle’s registration number and a description (including colour and make) and a description of the drink driver and their name and address if you know it.

If you want to report a drink driver after the drink driving has taken place, you can call the police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Remember, someone can still be over the legal alcohol limit the day after drinking

How many units does a drink contain?

There is still confusion over this, but the NHS says there is roughly:





One single measure of spirits - 1 unit

You can check if you are over the limit with a Digital Breath Analyzer of your own at £12.99 from Amazon .