“The summer period and its many opportunities to party is conducive to alcohol consumption. This is even more the case this year when, after two summers marked by restrictions linked to the health crisis, the next few weeks will be an opportunity for many to “let loose”.

To raise awareness among Walloon drivers of the risks of drinking and driving, the Walloon Minister for Road Safety, Valérie De Bue, and the AWSR are proposing a concrete solution: interactive breathalyser terminals in party venues.

Instead of opting for 0% drinks during the evening, we sometimes tend to limit our alcohol consumption by stopping drinking for a while before driving. However, it is practically impossible to assess the alcohol level and therefore the time needed to eliminate it. The blood alcohol level depends on the amount of alcohol consumed, but also on a large number of other factors (gender, metabolism, whether or not you have eaten a meal, your emotional state, etc.) that are specific to each person.

According to Martin De Duve, Alcoholologist, “After one or two glasses of alcohol, the risk of reaching the legal limit is already present. After the first drink, there is a change in the perception of our environment which can have an impact on driving.

As for solutions to eliminate the effects of alcohol, the expert confirms that there are none: “Only time sobers you up… 90% of alcohol is eliminated by the liver. All other strategies are useless. Going for a jog, having a coffee or swallowing a box of mints… All this will have no influence on your alcohol level.“

Find more from AWSR (Belgium, June 2022)