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The insurance company has issued a warning about driving the morning after a night of drinking this Christmas. PA Archive/PA Images
The Morning After

Avoid driving if you still feel hungover the morning after a night out, AA Ireland advises

It takes most people between one and two hours to process one standard drink.

NEARLY ONE IN six people say they have driven the morning after a night of drinking while unsure of their blood-alcohol levels at least once in the past year, according to a survey from AA Ireland. 

AA Ireland, the insurance company, has issued a warning to drivers of the dangers of getting behind the wheel the morning after a night out. 

Over 9% of the 6,000 people surveyed said they had driven the day after a night out with possibly illegal blood-alcohol levels once in the past year. 

Nearly 6% of those surveyed said they had taken this risk up to five times.

The company said people should avoid driving if they still feel hungover after a night out as there is a risk of being over the legal limit for blood-alcohol levels. 

“Quite often people believe that the idea that it takes the body an hour to process a unit of alcohol is a hard and fast rule, but it’s not that clear cut,” said AA’s director of consumer affairs Conor Faughnan. 

“Generally speaking, if you still have a pounding head and you still feel hungover, then there is a strong likelihood that you may still be over the limit and you shouldn’t be getting behind the wheel.” 

84% of people surveyed said they have never driven the morning after a night out while unsure if their blood-alcohol levels were above legal limits in the past year.

The HSE said it takes most people one to two hours to process one standard drink, which equates to half a pint, one pub measure of spirits or a small glass of wine. 

This means after three standard drinks, you should wait at least three hours before driving. 

75% of road fatalities that took place between 10pm and 6am had a positive toxicology report for alcohol from 2014 to 2018, the Road Safety Authority said in October this year

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