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The following 10 tips should help you to avoid becoming a drink driver

1. Always designate a non-drinking driver
If you are going out in a group nominate a non drinking driver. Some clubs and pubs may even provide free non alcoholic drinks to a designated driver.

2. Use public transport
If you are going to drink, try and use public transport or book a taxi in advance. Advance booking could save you time and money.

If you don't know the phone number of a local taxi company you can phone the freephone taxi hotline number, 0800 666 666, wherever you are in the country. Dial this number and you will be connected to a local taxi operator.

3. Stay overnight
If you are going to be drinking at a friend's house it may be possible to stay overnight - but remember, depending on the amount you drank and the time that you stopped drinking, alcohol may still be in your system the next day.

4. Have none for the road
Before going drinking, think how you are going to get home. Remember, when driving there is no SAFE limit - so leave the car at home.

5. Remember that many hours after drinking, alcohol still affects your driving
You could still be over the limit the morning after. It will take over 12 hours for the alcohol in six pints of 'normal' strength beer to leave your body.

6. Check what you are drinking
Pub measures may be smaller than ones served at home - but more and more pubs/restaurants are changing their optic sizes. New European measures are 35ml compared to a standard spirit measure of 25ml.

7. Passengers
As a passenger never travel with a driver who has been drinking.

8. Reporting drink drivers
If you know someone who regularly drink drives you can report them either to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, or the local police. If you see someone getting into a car who you think is over the limit, dial 999.

9. Everyone is breath tested at an accident
Anyone involved in an accident will be breath tested at the scene, or if injured at the hospital.

10. Drugs and driving
Where the police suspect a person is driving under the influence of drugs, they may take a blood or urine sample and, if it tests positive, subsequently bring a prosecution.

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