SOMERSET County Council’s road safety team is supporting the national Think! campaign to highlight the danger of still being over

the legal limit the morning after a night out drinking.

Commonly held beliefs that a cup of coffee, a cold shower or a big fried breakfast will sober you up are false – they may make you feel better but they cannot remove alcohol from the bloodstream.

Cllr John Woodman, the council’s cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said: “Many drivers and riders in Somerset simply do not realise how long it takes for alcohol to pass through the bloodstream. If you drive the morning after a night out drinking then there is every chance you could still be over the legal drink-drive limit.

“Have none for the road. Driving under the influence of drink or drugs puts the lives of other road users in danger and greatly increases the risk of being involved in a collision.”

The Morning After calculator app has been developed to show just how long it takes for alcohol to pass through your system. The calculator cannot provide you with an exact result because alcohol affects everyone differently, but it can provide a rough time for when it will be safe to drive or ride. The app can be downloaded from www.morning-after.org.uk

If you are convicted of drink-driving the penalties are severe: a minimum 12-month driving ban; a criminal record; a hefty fine; up to six months in prison; an endorsement on your licence for 11 years.

So if you have been out drinking and are not sure if you are fit to drive the next morning then err on the side of caution and stay off the road. Remember alcohol is a confidence booster and can trick you into thinking you are safe to drive when, in fact, you are far from it.

For more information on drink-driving visit www.somersetroadsafety.org You can also find Somerset Road Safety on Facebook www.

facebook.com/somersetroadsafety, Twitter www.twitter.com/SCC_RoadSafety, or

roadsafety