DISCLAIMER:This information is provided as an information source only, and is not a substitute

for professional legal or medical advice. The State of Queensland makes no statements, representations, or warranties about the accuracy or completeness

of, and you should not rely on, any information contained in this publication. The State of Queensland disclaim all and any liability to anyone relying in whole

or part upon the contents of this brochure.

An initiative of the Queensland Police Service. Funding provided through the

National Drug Strategy Law Enforcement Fund.

Tips if you are driving the next day:Count your standard drinks.

Have a non-alcohol drink in between other drinks, such as water or soft drink.

Don’t drink more than one or two standard drinks if you know you have to drive the next morning.

Drink slowly.

Avoid drink top ups, rounds or shouts.

Opt for lower strength drinks: low strength beer, single spirit measures rather than doubles.

Stop drinking alcohol well before the end of the night so your body has ample time to process the alcohol before the following morning.

TO DRINK DRIVING THE MORNING AFTER

P L A N N I N G A Q U I E T N I G H T I N

O R A B I G N I G H T O U T ?

Remember fatigue can be equally as dangerous if you drive the next morning.

If your alcohol concentration is 0.05, you are twice as likely to have a crash as a driver with no alcohol in their system.

Two people who drink the same amount of alcohol may register very different readings.

The legal limit in Queensland is BELOW 0.05 for open licence holders.

If you are caught drink driving you will have to go to court and you may receive a fine, have your licence suspended or disqualified, have your vehicle impounded or an alcohol ignition interlock fitted, even go to prison. You may even end up with a criminal record, which can impact future job opportunities or travel to some countries.

Your alcohol concentration can continue to rise for up to 90mins after your last drink!

A healthy adult liver can take an hour or more to break down or metabolise one standard drink. This is why your alcohol concentration may be high for many hours—even into the following day!

There are a range of factors which can influence the alcohol concentration in your body; e.g. your weight, your liver function, whether you are on medication, your age, whether you’re fit and healthy and when you last ate.

It’s difficult to judge your alcohol concentration even when counting your standard drinks… it’s not worth the risk!

It is better to be safe than sorry – if you are going to drink, plan ahead and organise a lift or take a taxi the next morning.

In Australia a standard drink is any drink that contains 10 grams of pure alcohol (equivalent to 12.5mL).

The standard drink is a simple and reliable way of helping you keep track of how much pure alcohol you are consuming. This is done by counting standard drinks instead of counting the number of bottles, cans or glasses etc. that may contain varying amounts of alcohol.

Whether it is okay to drive the next morning depends on how much you have had to drink, and if you have left yourself enough time for your body to process the alcohol.

You should allow at least one hour for every standard drink consumed. For example, 6 schooners of heavy beer equals 9.6 standard drinks, so if you had your last drink at midnight you may not be safe to drive until 10am the next morning.

HOWEVER, this is a guide only! Everyone is different and always allow extra time to be safe!

Drinking milk, coffee or water, taking cold or hot showers, exercising, vomiting or getting out in the fresh air will help you sober up.FACT! They may make you feel slightly better, but none of these will help the ‘sobering up’ process. Sobering up takes time. The body of a normal healthy person can only break down approximately one standard drink an hour. There’s nothing you can do to speed up the rate alcohol leaves your system.

Regular drinkers can handle their alcohol. FACT! Regular heavy drinkers may not appear intoxicated even after drinking large amounts of alcohol. However, even small amounts of alcohol affect their ability to react quickly to things like unexpected situations. They will still have alcohol concentrations similar to non-regular drinkers.

I don’t feel drunk, so I’m fine to drive. FACT! Even though you may not feel drunk, there is a good chance you could still be over the limit. Also, fatigue is just as dangerous and can impair your judgment and ability to react in time.

Eating and drinking plenty of water before bed will prevent a hangover and sober me up faster.FACT! Food and water will not assist the body to metabolise alcohol faster. By the time you eat, the alcohol has already been absorbed into your system. The only thing that will reduce your alcohol concentration is time!

M Y T H

M Y T H

M Y T H

M Y T H

IT MIGHT BE THE NEXT MORNING WHEN YOU HOP IN THE CAR TO DRIVE HOME, BUT IF YOU HAVE HAD A BIG NIGHT…

CHANCES ARE YOU’RE STILL OVER

THE LEGAL LIMIT!

W H A T I S A

W A K E U P T O D R I N K D R I V I N G

‘ S T A N D A R D D R I N K ’ ?

T H E M O R N I N G A F T E R

D I D Y O U K N O W ?

R E M E M B E R !

Glass of wine 1.5

Spirit shot 1

Pot (285ml) 1.1

Schooner (425ml) 1.6

Stubby (375ml) 1.4

Pre-mix spirit 1.5-2.1

STANDARD DRINKS

of counting the number of bottles, cans or glasses etc. that

Schooner (425ml) 1.6

Pre-mix spirit 1.5-2.1

No label? Or not sure how much is in your glass? Just ask bar staff to help you identify number of standard drinks.