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Dear Helen

Whenever I go out with my friend, her boyfriend always drives us. Although they both assure me that 3 pints is below the limit, I'm not sure that it is, as whenever he drives us home after drinking he is always much more careless.

He says that I'm being stupid, and that he is just more relaxed. I know that I could just refuse a lift , but my friend will still go with him and I'm worried that they may end up getting stopped or, even worse, have an accident.

What should I do?

Emma

Dear Emma

There is no definite amount of alcohol which will put a person over the limit to drive, as it depends on their weight and body size.

As a rough guide, 3 units (which is just a pint and a half of average-strength beer) will put most people over the limit. Smaller, lighter people will reach the limit with less alcohol than larger people. The smallest amount of alcohol can easily affect your judgement, and the experts agree that when it comes to driving, the only really safe amount of alcohol is none. In fact, if a police officer thinks that your driving has been affected by alcohol you could be prosecuted even if you're not over the limit.

There is no way that you can stop your friend from getting a lift with this bloke, but you can point out the facts and try and persuade her not to. Or you could try talking to him and reminding him of the risks he's taking. Apart from the obvious threat to people's lives, he should think about the effect a driving ban (or even a reputation for driving under the influence) would have on his work prospects, his social life, and his image. Drinking and driving will lose him cool points for sure!

But just remember, it's up to you what you do, just as it 's up to your friend and her boyfriend what they do. You aren't responsible for their actions.

Presumably, neither you nor your friend drive. It's a good idea to learn as soon as you can. Driving lessons are hellishly expensive, but lots of people get round this by asking their folks to pay for them as a birthday pressie. Even if you're not planning to own a car, it's good to be able to share the driving responsibilities and give the car-owners a break sometimes. You must make sure that you're properly insured before driving another person's car, and have a quiet practice run in daylight so you know where all the controls are before you drive your mates out for the night.

Does your friend's boyfriend have any mates who are wised-up about alcohol? You could quietly tell one of them about your worries. If Boyfriendo has more than one person discouraging him, he'll be more likely to take notice. And who knows, you could find yourself getting to know someone who's able to give you a nice, safe lift!

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		*Dear Helen* Whenever I go out with my friend, her boyfriend always drives us. Although they both assure me that 3 pints is below the limit, I'm not sure that it is, as whenever he drives us home after drinking he is always much more careless. He says that I'm being stupid, and that he is just more relaxed. I know that I could just refuse a lift , but my friend will still go with him and I'm worried that they may end up getting stopped or, even worse, have an accident. What should I do? Emma

Dear Emma There is no definite amount of alcohol which will put a person over the limit to drive, as it depends on their weight and body size. As a rough guide, 3 units (which is just a pint and a half of average-strength beer) will put most people over the limit. Smaller, lighter people will reach the limit with less alcohol than larger people. The smallest amount of alcohol can easily affect your judgement, and the experts agree that when it comes to driving, the only really safe amount of alcohol is none. In fact, if a police officer thinks that your driving has been affected by alcohol you could be prosecuted even if you're not over the limit. There is no way that you can stop your friend from getting a lift with this bloke, but you can point out the facts and try and persuade her not to. Or you could try talking to him and reminding him of the risks he's taking. Apart from the obvious threat to people's lives, he should think about the effect a driving ban (or even a reputation for driving under the influence) would have on his work prospects, his social life, and his image. Drinking and driving will lose him cool points for sure! But just remember, it's up to you what you do, just as it 's up to your friend and her boyfriend what they do. You aren't responsible for their actions. Presumably, neither you nor your friend drive. It's a good idea to learn as soon as you can. Driving lessons are hellishly expensive, but lots of people get round this by asking their folks to pay for them as a birthday pressie. Even if you're not planning to own a car, it's good to be able to share the driving responsibilities and give the car-owners a break sometimes. You must make sure that you're properly insured before driving another person's car, and have a quiet practice run in daylight so you know where all the controls are before you drive your mates out for the night. Does your friend's boyfriend have any mates who are wised-up about alcohol? You could quietly tell one of them about your worries. If Boyfriendo has more than one person discouraging him, he'll be more likely to take notice. And who knows, you could find yourself getting to know someone who's able to give you a nice, safe lift!


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