A rehabilitation expert has revealed when it’s safe for drivers to take to the road after drinking on New Year’s Eve — and it turns out that it’s better to wait until January 2.

Rehab provider Abbeycare says: “Even if you wake up feeling fine on New Year’s Day after drinking the night before, you may still be over the legal limit to drive without realising. 

“This is because there’s no way to know whether your body has processed all of the alcohol you’ve consumed the night before, as this differs from person to person depending on weight, height, gender, food eaten, metabolism, and the type of alcohol consumed.

“And it’s not just alcohol consumption that can affect your ability to drive the next day, as research suggests that driving tired can be as dangerous as drink-driving, as it results in slower reaction times. If you’re planning to celebrate this New Year’s, it’s better to use public transport to get home or wait until January 2 to drive back.”

The legal alcohol limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for driving is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, while in Scotland, it’s 22 micrograms. This equates to around two pints for men (lager of 4.5 per cent or one medium glass of wine for women (175ml). 

It takes around one hour to process one unit of alcohol, on average — meaning that a can of lager with an ABV of 5.5 per cent — equivalent to 2.4 units — will take just under two and a half hours.

Speaking on the data, Abbeycare said: “It’s never a good idea to drive after having a drink, even if you feel you’d still be capable of doing so. 

“With the festive season in full swing, there’ll likely be an increased number of drivers making unsafe decisions due to poor public transport options, impaired decision-making, or peer pressure.

“Younger drivers may be particularly susceptible to making a poor choice as they’ve not yet seen many consequences to their actions in comparison to their older peers — but it’s absolutely crucial to arrange an alternative way to get home when drinking so that you don’t have to learn these consequences first-hand.”

For more information about Abbey Care Foundation visit www.abbeycarefoundation.com