Morning drivers under the influence

More than a fifth (21 per cent) of motorists have drunk alcohol after 10pm when needing to drive before 9am the following morning, a new survey suggests.

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Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, which commissioned the poll, warned that drinking alcohol the night before getting behind the wheel can pose a “serious threat” because a “groggy head” means slower reaction times.

The survey of 1,072 UK motorists also indicated 38 per cent of people who have consumed several alcoholic drinks ahead of driving before 9am stopped drinking after 9pm.

Charity Drinkaware states that alcohol is removed from the body at a rate of one unit per hour, although this varies depending on a person’s weight, liver health and metabolism speed.