Cops warn alcoholic ice lolly craze could push motorists over drink driving limit
Boozy ice lollies are getting more and more popular as the British weather hots up
COPS have warned sweet-toothed Brits not to drive after enjoying alcoholic ice lollies, raising concerns about the new summer trend.
Boozy ice lollies are getting more and more popular as the British weather hots up - with Aldi recently launching gin and tonic and peach bellini flavours at just £2.99 for a pack of four.
But traffic officers warned drivers that one too many ice tipples could push them over the legal drinking limit.
Harry Simpson, acting inspector at the Cleveland and Durham operations unit, said that it’s easy to forget that the sugary treats contain alcohol and aren’t just flavouring.
“On a hot summer’s day it is easy to lose count of how many you have, and then get behind the wheel of a car.
"If you wouldn’t consider drinking a gin and tonic or cocktail when driving, then you shouldn’t consider having one of these lollies,” he said in a statement.
“We always recommend that drivers refrain from any alcohol as the effects differ depending on age, weight and metabolism and to check packaging to understand if there is any alcohol in what they are eating or drinking,” he added.
The warning comes as part of a national summer drink drive campaign and ahead of what is forecast to be a hot weekend across the UK as summer finally gets going.
The latest figures from the Department for Transport found nearly 1,400 people were killed or seriously injured in alcohol related accidents during 2015 – up five per cent on the previous year.
Police also carried out 520,219 roadside breath tests in 2015, with more than 60,000 drivers failing or refusing to take the test – equivalent to one in eight.
Hunter Abbott, managing director of AlcoSense and advisor to the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, said that while many Brits don’t take their cars when they go to the pub, the problem is driving the next day.
WHAT IS THE DRINK DRIVING LIMIT?
WHILE the drink-drive limit is the same for everyone, how it influences you behind the wheel changes.
There’s no foolproof system where you can safely have one pint or one large glass of wine and definitely be under the limit.
As a general guide it takes around two hours for a pint to leave your system although stronger beers and ciders will take longer.
A large glass of wine (250ml) is still in the blood for four hours and a single measure of a spirit takes just one hour.
Plus you’ll need to add on an hour for the alcohol to be absorbed into the system. So, if you have four pints and stop drinking at midnight, you’re not safe to drive until at least 9am – a bottle of wine and you have to wait until 1pm the next day.
These numbers vary from driver to driver, too, depending on a number of factors including weight, age, sex and metabolism. When and how much you’ve eaten and stress levels at the time are all part of the equation, too.
The easiest way to avoid being caught out and to ensure you’re safe behind the wheel is not to drink at all if you’re planning on driving and give yourself plenty of time the next day before setting off.
He said: “There’s a wide misunderstanding about how long alcohol can stay in the system the morning after. Sleeping does not hit a ‘reset’ button – you process alcohol at the same rate whether you’re awake or asleep.
“So it’s easier than you think to unintentionally drink drive the next morning, or to drive unaware that there is still enough alcohol in your system to dramatically increase your chances of being in a fatal road accident.”
The current limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
The Aldi lollies come in gin and tonic and peach bellini flavour, at 4.5 per cent ABV.
The treats are strictly available for customers aged 18 years and over and their alcohol content is clearly labelled on the packaging.
Aldi's introduction of the alcoholic ice pop in April came after frozen cocktail brand LIC launched its Mojito and Piña Colada-flavoured alcoholic ice lollies in Sainsbury’s stores across the UK last year with an alcoholic strength of 10 per cent ABV.
The very sophisticated British store Fortnum and Mason in 2015 also launched its own champagne popsicles which cost a whopping £50 for a box of 10 and contain 4.3 per cent ABV.
The driving laws you never realised you were breaking
THESE are the driving laws which most drivers don’t even realise they’ve been breaking
- Driving over 30mph on streetlamp-lit roads
- Splashing pedestrians with puddles
- Swearing at other drivers
- Inappropriate honking
- Eating or drinking whilst driving
- Allowing dirt to obscure your number plate
- Paying with a phone at a drive through
- Napping in you car whilst drunk
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