The festive season brings with it work parties, house parties, Christmas parties and New Year’s Eve parties – ample invitations to drink and be merry over the next few weeks.
However, the statistics around South Africa’s fatalities during this time are as familiar as they are depressing.
Drunk driving is one of the biggest threats to road safety in South Africa.
Research indicates that 50 per cent of people who die on the roads have a blood alcohol concentration above 0.05 grams per 100 millilitres.
In South Africa, the legal limit is a breath alcohol content of 0.24mg per 1,000ml, or a blood alcohol limit of 0.05g per 100ml.
In simple terms, this means that two drinks over the space of one hour will put you over the limit.
“If you are going to drink alcohol, it is important to know how to drink responsibly, and how to stay within your alcohol tolerance level,” said Zanele Njapha, Sustainability Manager at Brandhouse.
“Take ownership and make a simple choice, if you plan to drink, plan to get a lift or get a taxi.
“And if you plan to drive, then don’t drink alcohol.”
From DrinkIQ – a Brandhouse initiative – here are some of the tips on how to to drink responsibly and to stay within your alcohol tolerance level this festive season.
Know your limit
Most people find that no more than one drink an hour will keep them in control of the situation and avoid drunkenness.
The legal limit in South Africa is equal to two thirds of a beer or spirit cooler with 5 per cent alcohol content, or 75ml of red or white wine per hour with an alcohol content of 12 per cent to 14 per cent, and or up to one 25ml tot of whisky or brandy per hour.
Eat before you drink
No matter how much you eat while drinking alcohol, you are still going to get drunk.
Drinking on an empty stomach will just get you drunker quicker, so eating high protein foods will help to slow the absorption of alcohol into the circulatory system.
Know how you are getting home
There are a few options: the easiest is by using a driver service.
You can also appoint a designated driver before you go out, so you have a person who will avoid drinking alcohol that night and get you home safely.
Don’t believe the myths
Quick-fix solutions do not exist.
Drinking coffee, getting fresh air or dinking a litre of water will not sober you up.
Only time will remove alcohol from your system, and restricting yourself to only one unit per hour will give your body the time it needs to stay sober in the eyes of the law.
