DRIVERS in Inishowen
have been warned not to get behind the wheel the
morning after a night of drinking this Christmas.
An Garda Síochána and The Road Safety Authority (RSA)
have appealed to all road users to act responsibly
and safely on the roads throughout the Christmas and
New Year period. Drivers have been especially warned
of the dangers of driving the morning after a night
of drinking when their driving could still be
impaired by alcohol.
Analysis of Garda Síochána Investigation Files for
fatal collisions, by the RSA, shows that 11% of
fatal collisions in which a driver had consumed
alcohol, occurred between the hours of 7am and 11am.
Meanwhile, An Garda Síochána statistics indicate
that 6% of all Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
arrests to date this year have taken place between
7am and 11am. The highest number of DUI arrests, at
104, occurred on a Sunday morning representing 26%
of all arrests between 7am and 11am. This is
followed closely by Monday, at 90 arrests,
representing 22% of all morning after arrests.
Ms. Liz O Donnell, RSA Chairperson, said: "Drink
driving is a behaviour that must no longer be
tolerated in our society and for that to happen
people need to know all the facts. Drink driving at
any time of the day or day of the week is drink
driving, which is why you must take extra care the
following morning if you have been drinking the
night before. If you have been on a drinking session
the night before and got to bed very late you could
still have alcohol in your system.”
The HSE’s website
www.askaboutalcohol.ie is an excellent resource
for people who are looking for advice on how to cut
down on their alcohol intake and includes
information on alcohol and driving. 136 people have
died on Ireland’s roads to date in 2018 according to
the latest figures. |
