Urgent warning on how alcohol-free beer could still get drivers pulled over this Christmas
AN URGENT warning has been issued on how alcohol-free beer could still get drivers pulled over this Christmas.
Driving under the influence of alcohol is illegal in the UK and could lead to serious penalties to anyone found guilty.
There are rules on how many drinks you can have and still legally be able to drive and how alcohol can affect a person's driving.
But people can safely drive after consuming alcohol-free beers.
Yet a police officer will almost certainly stop you if they see you drinking from a bottle that looks like a regular alcoholic drink.
The AA said: "There is nothing technically illegal about drinking alcohol-free beer while driving in the UK, however, you can still expect to get pulled over for it if your drink looks similar enough to a real beer bottle or can (which most alcohol-free beers tend to do).
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"Again, our best advice would be to save time and hassle and wait until you've completed your journey before drinking anything."
The market for low-alcohol drinks is booming — three in ten of us buy them semi-regularly.
Studies have found no or low- alcohol versions slash the damage booze inflicts on the body.
However opting for 'healthier' non-alcoholic beer could put you at risk of nasty bugs, a study suggests.
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Craft beers with zero alcohol can become a breeding ground for food poisoning bugs like E. coli and salmonella to survive, US researchers found.
The lack of booze and normal beer-making processes meant the bacteria lived for over two months.
It means it could be better to stick to regular pints - in moderation - rather than drinking non-alcoholic beer, they suggested.
Meanwhile zero per cent beers are likely to be made stronger to try to convert more drinkers to healthier alternatives.
Ministers want to bump up the legal limit for an alcohol-free tipple from 0.05 per cent ABV to 0.5 per cent.
They say it would match standards in Europe and the US, boosting the market and giving drinkers more options.
Brewers say they can get closer to the taste of classic booze with the extra leeway.
Rob Fink, of Big Drop Brewing, said: "0.5 per cent may only be a trace of alcohol but it makes all the difference to taste."
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.