Bus, Lorry, and Van Drivers: Think before You Drink

The government’s Think! campaign went into prevention mode late last week when it issued a warning about driving the morning following a big night out. The warning was issued in light of expectations that last Friday night (18 December 2015) would be the biggest night of the year for holiday parties. The idea was to remind people how easy it is to be over the limit even after sleeping it off, in order to encourage them to stay off the road if they have had too much.

According to Think! research, approximately 5,500 people annually fail roadside sobriety checks between the hours of 6am and midday. The Think! campaign says the largest group of guilty drivers (37%) are found above the legal limit because they are driving to get to work. For those of us in the haulage and transport industries, this should be a wake-up call. Bus, lorry and van drivers beware: think before you drink.

Drink driving is something we talk about in our PCV, HGV and van driving training. We instruct our students about the importance of never driving under the influence of any substance and the necessity to be responsible with alcohol during downtime. Think! claims that as many as 33% of the nation’s drivers have no idea they could still be over the legal limit the morning after drinking four or more drinks.

The truth of the matter is that it takes time for alcohol to work through the system. The more you drink, the longer it takes. Anyone who consumes more than the generally accepted levels of alcohol for safe drinking should think twice about driving for at least 24 hours. It is better to be safe than to be sorry.

Be Cautious, Stay Safe

There is little argument that the holiday season brings with it increased alcohol consumption among adults. There is nothing wrong with drinking a little more during the holidays as long as it is done responsibly. And part of that responsibility is not to drive if there is even the slightest chance of impairment.

Professional drivers have an added responsibility in that they spend considerably more time on the road. Furthermore, professionals should know better. Part of the training drivers go through on a regular basis deals with safety issues – including driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It should never be done, not ever.

The HGV Training Centre would like to take a moment to wish you and all of our regular readers a happy holiday season. Whether you will be working through the holidays or taking time off to spend with your family, we urge you to be cautious and stay safe. Do not allow a momentary lapse of judgement to lead you to do something that could result in a tragic accident.

If you would like more information about our PCV, HGV and van driving training, don’t hesitate to contact us. New classes will be forming after the holidays are over.

Sources:

Fleet News UK – https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/fleet-industry-news/2015/12/18/think-campaign-issues-morning-after-drink-drive-warning