We are well into the magical championship that is the FIFA World Cup. The football tournament is the most watched sporting event in modern history and continues to bedazzle and amaze with some of the world’s best players. Whether your country is in the world cup or not, there’s no escaping world cup fever.
There’s another phenomena that often accompanies sporting events like the world cup; excessive drinking. You may find yourself having a beer at odd times in the day, during the day-time matches or drinking more than you usually do midweek for the evening matches. That’s why we are endorsing the message of Somerset Road Safety’s World Cup Campaign: “Avoid a World Cup Penalty by having none for the road”.
Somerset (UK) County Council’s road safety team is urging everyone to keep the roads alcohol free during the World Cup.
Many people enjoy having a drink or two while watching the football, and with the World Cup kicking off in June this is something that will be happening across the nation and around the world. The road safety team want everyone to enjoy themselves, but at the same time ensure the roads are kept as safe as possible by raising awareness of the dangers of drink-driving.
You may think you know your limits and how much you can drink while still being safe to drive, however, the likelihood is you’re wrong. You may not realise it but it only takes one alcoholic drink to begin to affect your ability to drive safely, and alcohol can affect you differently depending on a number of factors that include:
- weight
- age
- sex and metabolism (the rate your body uses energy)
- what you’ve eaten recently
- the type and amount of alcohol you’re drinking
- stress levels
It’s also important to remember that alcohol can linger in the blood stream for far longer than you may realise and it’s possible to still be over the legal limit to drive the morning after a night out drinking. In the UK, the system works on ‘units’, knowing units can help but avoiding alcohol all together if driving is the best approach.
In the UK, being caught drinking driving can include the following penalties:
- A minimum 12 month driving ban
- A criminal record
- A hefty fine
- Up to 6 months in prison
- An endorsement on your licence for 11 years
Road Safety GB have designed a set of promo materials to be used during the World Cup including: