14 March 2011 08:59

Young women at risk of drink driving

As drinking habits are changing and more young women take to heavy drinking they may risk unintentionally drink driving. A study by AlcoSense of over 200 women found that 47% miscalculated when the effects of alcohol will have worn off after a night drinking.

This follows a recent American study by the University of Michigan which found that women metabolise alcohol differently from men, have more disrupted sleep patterns; and are more likely to feel the effects the next day. Combined with evidence that women miscalculate when the effects of alcohol will wear off, this makes them more at risk from drink driving.

Police and medical practitioners have reported a trend of heavy drinking among young women, possibly fuelled by the availability of cheap supermarket alcohol. Recent years have seen the emergence of ‘pre-loading’, drinking as much cheap alcohol as possible before going out, and ‘speed-drinking’, getting as drunk as possible, as quickly as possible. Apart from the immediate health-risks of such activities, drinkers may also put themselves at risk the next day if they think they are safe to drive the morning after a night out.

"Speed drinking is no longer a minority practice. Police report that almost 60% of drinkers admit pre-loading and it is becoming the norm. Many women will assume they are safe to drive the next day but nearly half cannot accurately judge when it is safe to do so" said Hunter Abbott, Managing Director of AlcoSense.

"As 17.8% of all drink driving convictions effect people who are caught the ‘morning after’ many young women may not realise the danger they risk the next morning" added "Each year tens of thousands of drivers are caught drink driving the morning after an evening drinking unaware that they are still under the influence, after drinking as little as 3 or 4 drinks the night before".

AlcoSense manufactures and markets award-winning personal breathalysers which measure the amount of alcohol in your system and tells you when you are safe to drive. Priced between £24.99 and £59.99 they offer a quick, easy and accurate way to tell you when and how alcohol passes from your system and are available through Halfords stores nationwide.

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