THE Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (ARA) recognises December and January are fraught with drunken driving accidents and urges all South Africans to consume alcohol responsibly if they choose to drink.
December is a particularly risky period due to the many offices and year-end parties that take place. Individuals need to behave responsibly and so too should companies and businesses which are hosting the year-end parties and celebrations. Each company that hosts an office party should do their best to ensure the right tone is set with the employees and that excessive alcohol consumption is not encouraged.
In addition, management should consider offering its employees the option of a taxi service or overnight accommodation, especially if the party is taking place away from the office. Not only are employees at risk for drunken driving in these situations, but there is also the potential to lose one’s professional reputation.
“Every company or organisation within South Africa can actively play a role to encourage responsible alcohol use and reduce the number of drunken driving incidents,” says Dr Osborn Mahanjana, CEO of the ARA. “It does not need to be an expensive or sleek marketing campaign to get the message out to a business’s employees, but should rather form part of company’s culture. Both employers and employees should remember that alcohol abuse results in a loss of inhibition and self control which can lead to inappropriate commentary, risky sexual behaviour and sometimes aggression. These factors can seriously impact one’s reputation in the office and career progression within the organisation.”
As the majority of South Africans leave their office desk and head towards their holiday destinations, the December period is also known for being at a high risk for drunken driving. Contributing factors include the amount of additional people on the roads, coupled with the various celebrations that take place during this time of the year.
Other factors such as reckless driving, not buckling up, speeding, lack of taxi or public transport permits, false documentation and driving without licences can all be contributing factors to road accidents.
A broad misconception that people sometimes have when it comes to drunken driving is the way they feel physically after having had a few beers or glasses of wine. “Too often I hear the comment ‘I only had three beers and I felt fine to drive’ when someone has been arrested for drunken driving. It is not the number of drinks that matter or the apparent effect that it may have, but rather the level of blood alcohol content (BAC),” explains Dr Mahanjana.
The National Road Traffic Act states that an individual cannot have a BAC level of more than 0.05 g per 100 ml or more than 0.24 mg in 1 000 ml of breath. “That means that just one drink in one hour puts someone over the limit,” says Dr Mahanjana.
“To enjoy this festive period, the ARA recommends that alcohol should be drunk in moderation at all times and avoided entirely if you are driving,” advises Dr Mahanjana.
Below is some recommended drinking guidelines for men and women. Women should not exceed two to three units of alcohol per day while men should not exceed three to four units of alcohol per day:
* Beer has an alcohol level of 5 per cent and a small bottle (330 ml) equals 1.6 units
* Cider has an alcohol level of 4.5 per cent and one pint (568 ml) equals 2.6 units
* Spirits has an alcohol level of 40 per cent and 25 ml (one shot) equals 1 unit
* Wine has an alcohol level of 13 per cent and 175 ml (medium glass) equals 2.3 units.
It takes about one hour to process one unit of alcohol (length of time differs depending on height weight and gender).
