Drunk motorists cause thousands of accidents on UK roads every year. Some 1,380 people were killed or seriously injured when at least one driver was over the limit. This represents a statistically significant rise from 1,310 in 2014. A lot of people may be surprised to learn that accidents occur the most over the summer period. This week’s tips give advice on drink driving, from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards Richard Gladman.

• Know how much you are drinking. Drinks consumed at home or at a friend’s house are often larger than those in public venues and may contain a lot more units of alcohol than you think

• Leave your vehicle at home. If you do take your car and change your mind make sure you have parked your car in a place that you are able to leave overnight before you start drinking. Don’t go back to it after as you have had a drink it may be difficult to prove you were not going to drive

   

• Get your transport sorted out beforehand. If you arrange a taxi or minibus for yourself and your friends it takes any pressure off to drive and if you pay for it in advance you also know you don’t have to worry about finding the money at the end of the night! Nominate a designated driver and make sure they stick to zero alcohol. Remember it is distracting and potentially dangerous having drunk passengers when you are an inexperienced driver; play the game and behave. As the driver if your friends can’t behave: don’t drive them

   

• Don’t succumb to peer pressure; stick to your guns if you are the driver. Don’t try to guess how may drinks will be safe, you are playing Russian roulette not only with your licence but potentially with your life

   

• Be careful of the ‘morning after.’ The only cure for ‘being drunk’ is time, alcohol will take hours to leave your system so after a late night you may not be fit to drive all day. If you have a late night make sure you won’t be behind the wheel tomorrow

Richard said: “The consequences of drinking and driving can be tragic. It may be that your ability to drive is affected even if you are below the legal limit, if you need to drive the safest way is a no drinking policy.  We all know of someone who had ‘one for the road’, the lucky ones escaped with just a driving ban.”