WITH the Christmas party season in full swing, Somerset County Council’s road safety team is reminding road users of the dangers of drink driving, particularly on the morning after a night out.

Anyone convicted of drink driving faces a minimum 12-month driving ban and a criminal record.

The myths that a cup of coffee, a cold shower or a big breakfast will sober you up in the morning are false.

They may rid you of the hangover feeling, but they can’t remove alcohol from the bloodstream - only time can do that.

It roughly takes the human body one hour to process one unit of alcohol, but this can vary from person to person.

The Morning After calculator app has been developed to show just how long it takes for alcohol to pass through your system.

The calculator cannot provide you with an exact result because alcohol affects everyone differently, but it can provide a rough time for when it will be safe to drive or ride.

The app can be downloaded from morning-after.org.uk

On the run up to Christmas, Avon and Somerset Police will again be running Operation Tonic, targeting intoxicated drivers in our area.

If you suspect someone of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you can report them at avonandsomerset.police.uk/optonic. If you believe there is an immediate danger, then always dial 999.

A spokesman for Somerset County Council said: “Drinking and driving doesn’t mix, so if you’re going to be indulging in a Christmas drink plan ahead, make sure you know how you’re getting home safely and think about your plans for travelling the following day.

“We want everyone to have a wonderful Christmas, to keep themselves safe and to have none for the road.”

For more information visit somersetroadsafety.org. You can also search for Somerset Road Safety on Facebook, for @SCC_RoadSafety on Twitter and @somersetroadsafety on Instagram to see more.