SUMMERTIME DRINKING STILL A DANGER, WARNS GREEN FLAG
28 July 2005 - Green Flag Motoring Assistance

A leading motoring organisation is reminding of the need to cool down with non-alcoholic drinks and offers some timely advice on avoiding drink-driving this summer.

The advice from Green Flag Motoring Assistance comes as the government

introduces its campaign to crack down on summer drinkers and reminds

motorists that it takes less than they think to become a drink-driver.

Official figures show some 560 people were killed in crashes caused by

drivers who were over the limit in 2003 alone.*

Spokesperson for Green Flag, Melanie Denny, said: ''Despite repeated

campaigns, drinking and driving is on the increase, particularly among

young men. We are reminding drivers that drink-driving is not just a

problem at Christmas, it is a year-round concern that also rises during the

summer months.''

Currently the legal drink-drive limit is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of

blood, but Green Flag warns drivers not to try to calculate how much

alcohol they can drink before exceeding this limit, as it depends on many

variables including:

Age
Weight
Metabolism
Sex
How much food a person has eaten.

Denny continued: ''Past research has shown that even small amounts of

alcohol can seriously affect a person''s ability to drive safely. The only

way to stay safe and avoid accidents is to stick to soft drinks before

driving.''

Apart from putting their own and other people''s lives in danger, motorists

caught over the legal alcohol limit face losing their licence for a minimum

of twelve months, a maximum fine of £5,000 and up to six months in prison.

Causing death by careless driving under the influence of drink carries a

maximum penalty of 14 years in prison, a minimum two-year driving ban and

passing an extended driving test.

Green Flag offers the following tips to motorists to avoid risking their lives and licences:

Don''t be tempted to drink any alcohol before driving - even a small
amount can impair driving ability
Avoid driving the morning after a heavy drinking session as it can take
a long time for alcohol to leave the blood stream
Remember alcohol can affect your driving ability even if you can''t feel
the effects
If you know you are likely to be drinking, take public transport, call a
cab or get a lift from someone you know is not going to be drinking
alcohol.

Green Flag Motoring Assistance provides roadside rescue and recovery

services to almost five million customers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The company supports road safety charity Brake and is sponsors Road Safety

Week for the fifth year running this November. For more advice on safe

driving visit www.greenflag.com.

www.greenflag.com

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