South Wales Police re-launches free drinks scheme for designated drivers
A popular scheme allowing designated drivers to receive free draught soft drinks has been relaunched in South Wales.
The initiative, which will run over the Christmas period and until the start of January, has already seen more than 80 premises sign up.
A designated driver is someone who abstains from drinking alcohol to act as the responsible driver and the aim of the scheme is to promote responsible drinking with road safety in mind.
Customers who make themselves known to bar staff as the designated driver – or as ‘DES’ – are then given a wristband, enabling them to receive free draught soft drinks or squash.
We know it can sometimes be a burden being the designated driver but we hope this scheme will encourage more people to be aware of the very serious consequences of drink driving and the importance of being safe on the roads.
There is no way to know how much you can drink and stay under the limit, since it can depend on your weight, age, metabolism, the amount of food you've eaten and other factors.
It's impossible to get alcohol out of your system quickly, it always takes time. A shower, a cup of coffee or other ways of ‘sobering up’ may make you feel better but won’t remove the alcohol from your system.
If you've been drinking, you may still be affected by alcohol the next day and could lose your licence if you drive and are still over the legal limit.
Alcohol affects everyone differently and any amount can impair your ability to drive. The only safe option is to avoid alcohol completely if you are driving as even 'one small drink' could put you over the limit.
A list of participating venues can be found here.