Euro 2016 – Let’s avoid penalties this summer

Euro 2016 this summer is set to be a landmark in British sport. Never before have we seen three home Nation teams reach the finals of a European Championships. As the excitement builds and our team’s progress (we hope), I am sure this will be reflected in the number of fans making the most of their local public houses and fan zones across the land.  What’s more, this tournament is being held just across the channel, so at last our time zones are aligned and we can enjoy the kick off without having to get up in the small hours.

It’s important every supporter gets their tactics right and has the best time possible, even if we are submitted to the agony of penalties once again. However, there is a more serious penalty to consider when enjoying the games. Many of you will be aware of the dangers of drink driving and will employ defensive tactics to counter act it’s effects, such as the versatile and oh so reliable taxi, or the trustworthy and dependable designated driver, but how many of you make plans for what we’re calling Extra Time, more commonly known as the morning after?

Research shows some 5,500 drivers/riders were convicted of drink driving last year on the morning after; worryingly this is seven per cent higher than 10 years ago and accounts for 20% of all convictions, demonstrating many drivers are completely unaware of the amount of alcohol remaining in their body from the previous night and how this places them over the legal limit. It seems all too easy to overlook this element of drink driving, so our advice is:

• Drink within the low risk alcohol unit guidelines the night before
• Opt for lower strength drinks: 4% ABV or lower beer; 12% ABV or lower wine
• Alternate the alcoholic drinks you do have with soft drinks or water
• Stop drinking alcohol well before the end of the night, giving your body more time to process the alcohol before the following morning.

Remember it can take at least 1 hour for each unit of alcohol to leave your body, however, this varies considerably depending on many factors, such as; gender, height & weight, age, metabolism, your liver and how much food you have eaten. There is nothing you can do to speed up the rate of alcohol leaving your body.

Any Scots feeling depressed about not qualifying should of course be aware the chances of being caught are much higher the morning after north of the border. It’s simply not worth the risk with the lower limit.

The list below provides the approximate number of units in some of Britain’s most popular drinks:

• Beer, Lager, Stout (4% abv) - 2.3 units per pint (568 ml)
• Beer, Lager, Stout (5% abv) - 2.8 units per pint (568 ml)
• Lager (9% abv) - 5.1 units per pint (568 ml)
• Cider (6 abv) -3.4 units per pint (568ml)
• Wine, red or white (13% abv) - 2.3 units per standard glass (175 ml), 3.2 per large glass (250 ml)
• Gin, vodka, whisky (40% abv) -1 unit per small measure (25 ml)

Do you have the game plan in place to avoid penalties altogether during Euro 2016?