Experts at M.A.J Law have previously warned road users who drink around eight units of alcohol and stop at midnight will not have fully processed the alcohol until 8 AM the next morning. Those who continue drinking until 2 AM could still be over the limit at 10 AM or later.
A previous survey by Confused.com has found that 28% of motorists had driven the morning after drinking and could still be over the limit. Of these individuals, 35% claimed they had simply judged their ability to drive based on how they felt.
According to Alcosense, 17.8% of drink drive convictions are issued the morning after a night out. Meanwhile, they claim that around a third of all breathalyser tests conducted after an accident are done between 7am and 1pm.
According to motoring defence lawyers M.A.J Law, there is a distinct possibility that road users will still be above the legal limit the next morning.
They stress this can likely happen “far more than people think” in a major blow to road users. The experts explained that the liver will process one unit of alcohol, around half a pint of beer, per hour. This is the same whether or not individuals are awake or asleep.
They stress there was no “quick fix” with the body processing alcohol in the same time frame, whether or not individuals are awake or asleep. Motorists found to be over the legal limits could have serious consequences with individuals at risk of being slapped with a 12-month driving ban.
Those caught twice within 10 years could get an even longer ban, with individuals facing three years off the roads. In some circumstances, motorists could find they receive a custodial sentence and may have to pay fines of at least £2,500.