One in five company car drivers admits to getting behind the wheel despite thinking they may be over the drink-drive limit the morning after a Christmas party - more than double that of private vehicle owners.
With the festive party season starting in earnest, the survey, conducted as part of the RAC’s annual Report on Motoring, revealed that 20% of company car drivers said they suspected they had driven with alcohol still in their system, putting them over the legal limit. In contrast, just 8% of non-company car owners made the same admission.
The research, which asked motorists about their driving habits over the previous year, also saw one in 20 company car drivers (5%) admit to driving immediately after drinking alcohol that evening. That compares to 3% of private motorists.
RAC Business Services director David Aldridge said: “While we have seen a huge, and welcome, shift in attitudes to drink-driving since the 1970s, our research has revealed that a significant number of drivers are still taking unnecessary risks when getting behind the wheel after a night out.
“Many company Christmas parties are held on week nights and we‘re urging managers to remind all their staff about safe alcohol limits as it is easy to think the morning after the night before it will be fine to drive.”