New Year revellers might drive home

HALF of drivers going out to celebrate the New Year tonight say they have not decided how they will get back home and have not ruled out getting behind the wheel, a survey reveals.

Government road safety body Prévention Routière asked 1,000 people about their Réveillon plans - and although most are planning to stay at home, 22% say they will be heading out by car.

Of these, 51% said they had not made any prior arrangements about how to get home and had not agreed on a designated driver.

Some 16% said they would stay overnight and drive back safely the following morning, but only a handful of respondents knew that it took up to two hours for the alcohol in each glass of wine to leave the bloodstream.
A quarter of those questioned said they believed police should be more tolerant towards drink-drivers on New Year's morning.

The government has launched a website, Rentrer En Vie, to raise awareness of the dangers of driving while drunk over the festive period.