Men more likely to drink and drive

Cape Town - 120601 - A suspect blows into a drager operated by Principle Inspector Adrian Long while Robin Carlisle and Officer Deon Sampson look on. He was found to be three times over the legal limit - A roadblock was held by Provincial and City Traffic Officials on Modderdam road Southbound near the N2 (Bonteheuwel) on Friday night. In the first hour of the road block being set up 8 people were arrested for drunk driving (the lowest alcohol reading on the Drager was 0.38 almost twice the legal limit) The first people to be arrested was an off-duty police officer. The suspects were taken to the Bishop Lavis Police Station for processing. Also nabbed was a 17 year old taxi driver driving an unroadworthy taxi. The normal driver was too drunk to drive so they sent the 17 year old to drive the taxi. The taxi was impounded and the youth was taken to Bishop Lavis police station to wait for his parents before being charged. His parents were also allegedly too drunk to come to the scene. Photo: Matthew Jordaan

Cape Town - 120601 - A suspect blows into a drager operated by Principle Inspector Adrian Long while Robin Carlisle and Officer Deon Sampson look on. He was found to be three times over the legal limit - A roadblock was held by Provincial and City Traffic Officials on Modderdam road Southbound near the N2 (Bonteheuwel) on Friday night. In the first hour of the road block being set up 8 people were arrested for drunk driving (the lowest alcohol reading on the Drager was 0.38 almost twice the legal limit) The first people to be arrested was an off-duty police officer. The suspects were taken to the Bishop Lavis Police Station for processing. Also nabbed was a 17 year old taxi driver driving an unroadworthy taxi. The normal driver was too drunk to drive so they sent the 17 year old to drive the taxi. The taxi was impounded and the youth was taken to Bishop Lavis police station to wait for his parents before being charged. His parents were also allegedly too drunk to come to the scene. Photo: Matthew Jordaan

Published Aug 26, 2013

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London - Men are much more likely than women to drink-drive, a study has found.

Twenty-seven percent of men admit to driving over the limit compared with 10 percent of women.

And 11 percent still insist they can drive after having three drinks, while only one percent of women agree.

 

The YouGov survey of 3 120 drivers found 36 percent of men have driven the morning after drinking, despite suspecting they were over the limit, as have 22 percent of women.

Sue Longthorn of insurer Admiral, which commissioned the research, warned: “It’s vital people are aware of how much alcohol they are consuming.

“The difference between men and women is a worry. It appears the message is getting through to women, but not so effectively with men.”

The poll, which coincides with a national police crackdown on the problem, identified a small core of habitual drunk drivers.

Of those who admitted drunk driving, two percent said they did so regularly, and a further five percent said it was occasionally.

The results also show confusion over the legal limit, which is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. Only 13 percent knew the answer. - Daily Mail

* According to the AA website, the legal limit in South Africa is a breath alcohol content of 0.24mg per 1 000ml, or a blood alcohol limit of 0.05g per 100ml. The website goes on to say:

“The rule of thumb is a maximum of one unit of alcohol per hour, which constitutes 10ml of pure alcohol, based on an adult weighing 68kg. Our bodies can process only one unit of alcohol each hour. However, it is important to be aware that if you weigh less than 68kg your body will need more time to process the same amount of alcohol.

“What does one unit represent in layman’s terms?

* It is equal to two thirds of a beer or spirit cooler with 5% alcohol content.

* For those who drink wine, 75ml of red or white wine per hour with an alcohol content of 12% to 14% is acceptable.

* Whisky and brandy connoisseurs can drink up to one 25ml tot of alcohol per hour.” - IOL

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