“What’s the problem? I got home safely and no one was hurt!” This is a common phrase we hear.

However, just because you made it home safely does not mean that you’re making a right decision in drinking and driving. When starting the car and driving away under the influence of alcohol one is not only putting their life at risk but also the lives of all those they come across while driving, including pedestrians, the passengers in their car and people in other cars.

Alcohol and driving are a deadly mix. Driving under the influence of alcohol causes many fatal accidents each year. These fatalities are only the tip of the iceberg, as many more people are injured and suffer long-term consequences.

Alcohol is a depressant, meaning that it slows down the activity of the brain and nervous system. It is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream but it can take a long time to be eliminated from the body, depending on a variety of factors.

Due to its depressant effects, alcohol negatively affects driving skills, and drivers often underestimate its effects. Some of the effects alcohol has on drivers include:

• Longer reaction time, whereby there is a slowing of reflexes. This decreases the ability to react swiftly to situations that demand immediate attention;

• Altered vision and perception, with slower function of eye muscles, which can result in blurred vision. Night vision and colour perception are also impaired;

• A reduction of tracking – the ability to judge one’s position on the road, as well as that of other vehicles, road signs and central strips. This can lead to serious repercussions on the road;

Driving under the influence of alcohol causes many fatal accidents each year. These fatalities are only the tip of the iceberg

• Decreased concentration, whereby attention to driving decreases and drowsiness may occur;

• Impaired comprehension, where the ability to take rational decisions is affected by the depressant properties of alcohol. Sometimes this leads to overconfidence on the roads; and

• Decreased eye-hand-foot coordination, which can adversely affect the mechanics of driving.

There are many factors that affect blood alcohol content and can speed up the effects of alcohol. These can include: one’s body mass index, weight, gender, tolerance to alcohol, the time within which the alcohol was consumed, being tired, sick or on medication and the use of illicit drugs, among other factors.

Blood alcohol levels are also affected by the type of alcohol and if it is combined with sugared and/or fizzy drinks. Hence one cannot indicate the number of drinks a person can drink to be able to drive. This is not always the same, even for the same person, as conditions change.

It is for this reason that most authori­ties advocate for zero tolerance, whereby people who are driving are advised not to drink at all.

With each drink, a person’s blood alcohol concentration increases. Research findings suggest that the most crucial aspect of impairment is the reduction in the ability to handle several tasks at once. This skill is precisely what driving a motor vehicle requires. The risk of being in a motor vehicle crash increases as the level of blood alcohol increases.

If one has consumed alcohol, the safest course of action is not to drive but instead make alternative transportation arrangements. Some words of advice:

• Don’t drive if you’ve been drinking. It is very dangerous and considered to be a criminal offence;

• Before drinking, arrange with a non-drinking friend to be a designated driver;

• Call someone else to pick you up;

• Use public transportation;

• Book a taxi, minibus or coach;

• Make prior arrangements to spend an overnight stay;

• Don’t let your friends drive if they’ve been drinking.

If you are a host, you can take various  responsible measures to take care of your guests:

• Create a setting that encourages socialising and discourages heavy drinking;

• Start serving food before serving al­coholic drinks, to lay a bigger emphasis on eating rather than on drinking;

• Avoid having an open bar;

• Serve alcoholic drinks at regular intervals. Usually serving once an hour is a good guideline;

• Offer non-alcoholic and other drinks that do not contain alcohol;

• Respect anyone’s decision not to drink.;

• Plan the ending of the event and stop serving alcohol well before that time;

• If alcohol is served, make sure all guests leave with a sober driver.

This year the theme of the national drink-drive campaign is ‘No thanks, I’m driving’. The public is advised not to drink at all if driving or to use an alternative means of transport.

Our advice is to enjoy Christmas and the festive season by keeping safe.

Prof. Charmaine Gauci is Superintendent of Public Health.