Forty Per Cent of Motorists Call For a Total Ban on Drinking Before Driving

Uncertainty on what qualifies as ‘drink driving’ has led to 40 per cent of motorists calling for a total ban on drinking before driving.

With a study from Direct Line Car Insurance revealing that 45 per cent of motorists admit to having driven after drinking some alcohol – and 1.3million* motorists (4 per cent) doing so ‘frequently’ – confusion as to what constitutes putting them ‘over the limit’ is potentially placing both them and other road users at risk of a serious accident.

The confusion over how much alcohol is ‘safe’ to drink before driving, arises from the fact that alcohol intake is measured in units**, whilst the drink drive limit is measured by alcohol content within the blood***. The blood alcohol level can be affected by such factors as an individual’s size, weight and metabolism – meaning that there is no uniform measure.

The study also reveals that 34 per cent of motorists don’t know how many units of alcohol are in an average strength pint of beer or how that may affect their blood alcohol level, whilst 49 per cent are ignorant of the potency and effects of a large glass of wine. This confusion could result in ‘going out for a couple of drinks’ leading to a motoring conviction, an increased car insurance premium or, in a worst-case scenario, a serious road accident.

Tony Chilcott, Head of Car Insurance Direct Line, comments: “Findings from our study make worrying reading. If an average sized female motorist drinks two large glasses of wine during an evening out, then that is the equivalent of two thirds of a bottle of wine. Whilst she may then feel ‘fine’ and wrongly assume that she has only had two units of alcohol, should she then drive home, she is extremely likely to be over the drink drive limit – breaking the law and putting her life and others at risk. It is this uncertainty that many motorists want to end by banning all drinking before driving.”

Despite going out with good intentions and not planning to drink, many motorists find themselves led astray during evenings out, with 40 per cent driving home after drinking some alcohol. Of these, nearly a quarter (22 per cent), bowed to ‘beer pressure’ and joined in with their mates on a night out on the tiles. Nearly a quarter of people (22 per cent) have travelled as a passenger in a car when they believed the motorist was over the drink-drive limit.

Tony Chilcott continues: “With drinks promotions adding to the ‘beer pressure’ that encourages us to drink more in the Christmas period, the only sensible thing to do is leave the car where it is and use alternative means to get home.”

For more information, please contact

RBS Insurance Press Office
Tel: 0208 285 3277

Notes to Editors:

The research was carried out on behalf of Direct Line car insurance by YouGov. A nationally representative sample of 2066 UK adults were questioned online between 12th to 15th November 2007. Results are weighted to be representative of the UK adult population. YouGov is a member of the British Polling Council.
*4% of 33.7 millions motorists in the UK (Department of Transport, 2007) = 1.3million motorists.
** Units of alcohol in alcoholic drinks:
· 1 pint of ordinary lager, bitter or cider, 175ml glass of wine = 2 units
· 1 small glass of wine (125ml) = 1.5 units
***The UK legal limit is 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood - as a rough guide this means men should consume no more than four units of alcohol, and women no more than three units, before driving. Source: DirectGov Health and Wellbeing.

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