The holiday season is an occasion where celebration and alcohol coexist, but what should Quebecers do to avoid consequences on the road? Abstinence, escort services or even breathalyzers: an expert is taking advantage of New Year’s Eve to remind people of the different solutions available to the population.
Although the best solution is not to drive after drinking, there are still tools available to check your alcohol level. Breathalyzers therefore become particularly useful during the holiday season. Performing the test before getting behind the wheel ensures that you do not exceed the limit of 0.08.
“In general, people make poor decisions when assessing their alcohol level. […] So, we say to ourselves, instead of playing a guessing game, take a breathalyzer,” suggested the general director of Alco Prevention Canada, Stéphane Maître, in an interview on LCN. The latter thus mentioned a study carried out by researchers at Laval University which revealed that 77% of the world incorrectly assess their blood alcohol level.
The expert also highlighted the reliability of the tests available in Canada. However, he reminded people to avoid going with the cheapest when purchasing a breathalyzer. A good device should cost close to $150.
Escort services all year round
In the past, people’s excuse was that they didn’t want to leave their car behind. However, this is no longer the case today, believes Mr. Maître, since there are now support services all year round.
“For the price of a taxi, we take your vehicle home, so there is no longer really an excuse to drive drunk,” he said, adding that between 300,000 and 400,000 rides are carried out each year and almost all regions are served by the different companies.