Football fans watching England's World Cup opener against Croatia are being warned they could be over the drink-drive limit the following morning.

With pubs allowed to remain open until 1am for England's 9pm kick-off on Wednesday, road safety campaigners say many supporters may underestimate how long alcohol remains in the body.

A fan drinking five pints of 4% beer over the course of the evening and leaving the pub at 1am could still have alcohol in their system until around lunchtime on Thursday.

The warning comes as UK fans are expected to drink almost 60 million pints during the tournament, equivalent to 1.5 million pints every day.

Previous tournaments have demonstrated the scale of football-related drinking. During the 2022 World Cup, pubs sold an average of 436 pints on the day of England's opening match against Iran - around 50% above normal levels. England matches during Euro 2024 generated around 90% more pints pulled than a typical trading day in many pubs.

Hunter Abbott from personal breathalyser firm AlcoSense said: "Many fans will assume that because they’ve had a night’s sleep, they'll be fine to drive to work or take their children to school the following morning. That’s not necessarily the case.

"Five pints of average-strength lager contain around 11.5 units of alcohol. The final whistle may have blown, but your body needs to allow for ‘extra time’ to process that alcohol”.

An infographic produced by AlcoSense shows that five pints of 4% beer can take around 12.5 hours to clear, although this depends on factors such as weight, sex and drinking pattern.

The company said many motorists remain unaware that alcohol can impair driving ability even when they are below the legal limit.

A recent AlcoSense poll found that more than a third of people (36%) believe their ability to drive is only impaired if they are actually over the drink-drive limit.

However, research shows drivers are 13 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash at the current legal limit in England and Wales than when sober. Even at just 10mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood - one eighth of the legal limit - the risk of a fatal collision is around 37% higher than for a completely sober driver.

The latest Department for Transport figures show that 260 people were killed in drink-drive crashes in 2023, while a total of 6,310 people were killed or injured in incidents involving motorists over the legal alcohol limit.

Mr Abbott added: "Just a small amount of alcohol in your system slows reaction times, inhibits judgement and reduces both concentration and co-ordination, increasing the likelihood of an accident.

"If you've been drinking while watching the match, whether at home or in the pub, don't assume you're safe to drive the following morning. Leave the car at home, take alternative transport or use a personal breathalyser to check that you're clear before getting behind the wheel."

-ends-

16 June 2026

AlcoSense gives input to Government Road Safety Strategy Consultation

AlcoSense has submitted a detailed response to the Government’s consultation on a new Road Safety Strategy, calling for tougher action to reduce drink-drive deaths and injuries in England and Wales.

The submission argues that England and Wales are now out of step with the rest of Europe in retaining the current drink-drive limit of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood - the highest legal limit anywhere in Europe.

A central recommendation is that the legal alcohol limit should be reduced. AlcoSense argues that the current limit can create a misleading impression that driving below 80mg is “safe”, despite extensive evidence showing impairment begins well before that level.

The response highlights international research showing that crash risk rises significantly even at relatively low blood alcohol concentrations. It also notes that Scotland reduced its limit to 50mg in 2014, bringing it into line with most European countries.

AlcoSense believes lowering the limit would:

• send a clearer public safety message
• encourage more people to avoid alcohol entirely when driving
• help shift social attitudes around drink driving
• reduce deaths and serious injuries over time

The response also calls for stronger enforcement measures.

These include:

• introducing random breath testing powers for police
• allowing roadside licence suspension for drivers who fail or refuse a breath test
• tougher penalties for serious drink and drug driving offences
• wider use of alcohol interlock devices (“alcolocks”) as part of rehabilitation programmes

The submission argues that deterrence depends not only on legal limits, but also on the perceived likelihood of being caught.

AlcoSense’s response references new polling commissioned by the company which suggests strong public backing for reform.

The survey of 2,000 UK adults found:

• only 12% believe the current 80mg limit should remain unchanged
• 78% support some form of reduction
• 75% support roadside licence suspensions for motorists over the limit
• 70% support random breath testing
• 73% support vehicle seizure powers for drink and drug driving offences

The findings suggest many people now view drink driving primarily as a public safety issue rather than simply a motoring offence.

The response notes that although drink-drive deaths are far lower than in previous decades, progress has slowed in recent years.

Department for Transport figures show there were 260 fatalities in drink-drive collisions in 2023, alongside more than 6,000 injuries.

AlcoSense argues that the current approach may have reached the limits of its effectiveness and that a combination of lower limits, visible enforcement and public education is now required to achieve further reductions in casualties.

A PDF copy of AlcoSense’s full response to the Government consultation can be downloaded here: AlcoSense Laboratories - Drink Drive limit Consultation response.pdf

A new survey of 2,000 UK adults shows nearly eight in ten respondents (78%) said the current legal alcohol limit should be lowered from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Just 12% said it should remain unchanged.

87% believe stricter penalties are needed to deter people from driving under the influence.

The poll by personal breathalyser firm AlcoSense is an early indication of public sentiment, ahead of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy consultation deadline of 11 May.

Nearly eight in ten respondents (78%) said the current legal alcohol limit should be lowered from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Just 12% said it should remain unchanged.

Half of those surveyed (50%) said the limit should be slashed to 20mg or zero. A further 28% said it should be brought into line with Scotland’s 50mg limit.

There is also a clear consensus for more immediate enforcement powers. Three quarters of respondents said police should be able to suspend a driver’s licence at the roadside if they test over the limit or refuse to provide a sample.

AlcoSense managing director Hunter Abbott said the findings, which included questions similar to those in the Government consultation, indicated a shift in public attitudes.

“People are saying the current system is not tough enough,” he said. “There is staunch support not only for lowering the alcohol limit, but also for giving police the powers they need to deal with offenders quickly and effectively.

“England and Wales currently have the highest drink-drive limit in Europe. Our research suggests that many people no longer see that as acceptable.”

The call for stricter limits is even greater for higher-risk groups. Around two-thirds of respondents said commercial and novice drivers should be subject to a 20mg or zero limit.

The study suggests the public sees legal limits and police action as equally important. A majority (58%) said the most effective way to tackle drink driving would be to combine a lower limit with more robust enforcement, rather than relying on either approach alone.

“There is a clear recognition that changing the law on its own is not enough,” said Abbott, who is also a member of PACTS.

“People want to see enforcement alongside it, so that the rules have real impact.

“Motorists who pose a risk should not be allowed to continue driving while legal proceedings are ongoing,”

The latest data published by the Department for Transport show there were 260 fatalities in drink-drive accidents in 2023, with a total of 6,310 people injured in incidents involving drivers over the legal limit.

The survey findings also indicate that more stringent drink-drive laws will have limited impact on social behaviour. More than a third of those who visit pubs and restaurants said their habits would not change if the limit was reduced, while only a small minority (13%) said they would be likely to visit licensed premises less often.

Abbott added: “With the consultation closing soon, this indicates that the public expects meaningful Government action to improve road safety and prevent avoidable deaths and injuries.”

-ends-

23 April 2026

Notes:

PACTS is the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety

AlcoSense interviewed 2,000 nationally representative UK adults via OnePoll between 24-27 March 2026. OnePoll adheres to the MRS Code of Conduct.

A total of 4,427 Scottish motorists were taken to court last year for ‘driving under the influence’ (DUI) according to figures published in today’s Criminal Proceedings in Scotland report.

Although this represents a decrease on the previous year, prosecutions are still up 15% compared with a decade ago - highlighting a persistent core of motorists who continue to risk lives by driving after consuming alcohol.

The number of drivers convicted was 4,260 - giving Scotland a 96% conviction rate for DUI offences.

The figures are released as Police Scotland gets underway with its annual Christmas and Hogmanay drink and drug drive campaign, which runs until 2 January 2026. Drivers can expect an increase in roadside breath testing, with targeted patrols in known drink-drive hotspots such as Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, the Highlands, South Lanarkshire and Edinburgh.

Last Christmas, officers carried out 4,779 breath tests and 963 roadside drug wipes, resulting in over 1,300 offences detected - the highest activity levels seen in recent years.

In 2023, ten people were killed by a drink driver and 300 were injured, according to Transport Scotland. While a reduction on the previous year, the toll remains “unacceptably high”, says Hunter Abbott, Managing Director of personal breathalyser firm AlcoSense.

“It only takes one impaired driver to devastate families,” comments Abbott. “With Scotland’s lower drink drive limit, even small amounts of alcohol can put you over the legal threshold.”

“The only reliable way to know you’re safe and legal to drive is to self-test with a personal breathalyser. Particularly the morning after a night out, when alcohol can remain in your system for many hours.”

Abbott warns that December is the highest-risk month for both collisions and enforcement.

“Police Scotland ramp up roadside checks over Christmas and Hogmanay. If you’ve been drinking, your chances of being breathalysed are significantly higher than at other times of year.”

- ends –

9 December 2025

Sources:
Scottish Government: Criminal Proceedings in Scotland 2023–2024
Transport Scotland: Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2024
Police Scotland Festive Drink & Drug Driving Campaign Statistics

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