With the Christmas party season here, road safety organisation and breakdown cover company GEM Motoring Assist is urging drivers to leave cars at home to avoid temptation and potential tragedy.
With an estimated 290 people dying as a result of drink-driving related accidents last year – 25% up on 2011 – GEM says it's time drivers shifted their thinking from concern over getting caught to the more pressing issue of causing a serious accident.
For many drivers, the problem is ambiguity around the levels of exactly how much alcohol can be drunk. While there is only one legal alcohol limit, alcohol affects everyone differently. Alcohol percentage levels have also increased over the years, from 11-12% to 13-14% per bottle of wine.
GEM believes the only way to avoid drink-driving related accidents this Christmas is for revellers to avoid driving altogether, whether it's on the way home from a quick drink in the pub, or driving to work the morning after that big Christmas party.
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