Drunk driving is one of the largest contributors to road fatalities and damage to property and infrastructure. In a recent press release ahead of holidaymakers getting ready to travel across the country in December, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has stated that it will be intensifying operations to apprehend reckless and drunk drivers.

Operations will include national carriageways connecting cities to holiday destinations and also roadblocks intended to deter drunk drivers after attending festivities.

The RTMC says the goal is simple, to ensure the roads are as safe as possible during the festive season; a time when fatalities on roads tend to spike. The corporation also stresses the importance of roadworthy vehicles and warns that motorists driving defective vehicles will have their mode of transport impounded.

Any driver with a blood alcohol concentration of more than 0.05g per 100 millilitres is over the legal alcohol limit. Professional drivers or any driver hired or paid for driving or operating a motor vehicle, whether for private or public use is restricted to a limit of 0.02g per 100 millilitres.

A statement issued by the South African Police Service, warns your blood may not have an alcohol content of more than 0.05%.

“This means that even after what you may think is a ‘small drink’, you could be over the limit. If you have more than 350 ml of beer, or if you have more than a single tot of brandy or other spirit, you may already be over the limit. Remember that these levels of alcohol will remain in your system for up to eight hours after consumption,” the SAPS statement warns,