Crime Prevention & Community Safety

Alcohol and drugs can greatly impair your reaction time and ability to safely judge your speed and surroundings.

If you have been drinking, feeling sober is not a safe indicator of whether or not you are under the legal limit.

Staying under .05

As a general rule, men can have two standard drinks in the first hour and one every hour after that. Generally women can have one standard drink in the first hour and one every hour after that.

There are a number of precautions you can take to stay under the legal limit.

Before drinking

• If you are taking prescription drugs, check with your doctor to ensure that it is safe to mix them with alcohol. When combined with alcohol, some medications greatly impair your ability to drive.
• Eat food before and during drinking.

Whilst drinking

• Individual bottles and cans often contain more than one standard drink. Check the label to learn how many standard drinks your container holds.
• Do not let other people top up your glass. Make sure you are always aware of how much alcohol you have drunk.
• Avoid mixing drinks.
• Try alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

After drinking

• Make sure you have allowed enough time for your body to get rid of the alcohol in your system before driving again.

Drugs and Driving

Drug use can drastically impair driving ability and increase risk of crashing.

If you are taking prescription drugs, check with your doctor that it is still safe to drive.