Get home safely on the Gold Coast
Drinking alcohol reduces your ability
to drive safely. Alcohol affects your
judgement, vision, coordination and
reflexes. This increases your risk of
having a crash.
Keep drinking and
driving separate
It is simple. If you are drinking,
don’t drive.
It is difficult to judge your blood/breath
concentration (BAC) because there are a
number of factors that influence each individual.
Where possible, avoid drinking altogether if you
plan to drive. It is safer and easier than trying to
keep track of what you drink.
Remember − after a heavy night’s drinking,
you could still be over 0.05 BAC the next
morning. So, if you are in doubt about your
BAC, don’t drive.
If you’re going out drinking, plan ahead to
ensure you get home safely. Organise a lift,
catch a taxi or public transport, designate a
driver or stay at a mate’s place.
For more information on getting home
safe please visit cityofgoldcoast.com.au/
gethomesafe
13%
Drink driving was reported as a contributing
factor in 13 per cent of serious crashes.
year
target
Alcohol is a factor in up to
35%
of pedestrian crashes
on the Gold Coast.
Reduce fatalities and serious
injuries on the Gold Coast
transport system by at least 30%.
Gold Coast Road Safety Plan 2015–2020
Road safety is a community issue and the Gold
Coast Road Safety Plan is a single planning
document that sets out to:
• reduce crashes
• save lives
• prevent serious trauma.
It nominates actions and responsibilities
for everyone who is a part of community
protection including road authorities, transport
user advocates, law enforcement and the
general public.
53%
of serious crashes
involving a pedestrian
occur within one kilometre of
the coastline.
Between 2010 to 2014,
Gold Coast was the worst
region in Queensland for alcohol/
drug-related on-road fatalities,
with an average 6.2 fatalities
each year.
35%
of serious crashes involving a pedestrian
in Surfers Paradise occur between
8pm and 6am on Friday and Saturday nights.
For more information
P 1300 GOLDCOAST (1300 465 326)
Wgoldcoast.qld.gov.au/roadsafety
It is particularly important to drive carefully around our beachfront and
entertainment precinct areas where pedestrians are present.
*State of Queensland. 2014. Crash Data from Queensland Roads
(online). Available at data.qld.gov.au/dataset/crash-data-fromqueensland-roads (Accessed 15/1/2014)
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Crash data statistics are based on results presented in the Gold
Coast Road Safety Plan 2015–2020. The crash data statistics are
based on the Queensland Road Crash Database* using a 5 year
reporting period between 2008 and 2012.
Keep drinking and driving separate
Blood/breath alcohol concentration (BAC) is
a measure of the amount of alcohol in your
body. While legal alcohol limits are set for
enforcement of drink driving laws − for most
drivers, under 0.05 − it’s always safer to not
drink if you’re going to be driving. Studies
show that even at 0.05, your reactions are
slower than at 0.0 BAC.
•Drivers who admit to driving over the BAC limit on 10 per cent
of trips are:
−
−
−
−
more likely to be younger, in particular 25–39 years of age
more likely to be male
more likely to drive long distances every week
equally likely to be in regional Queensland or city areas.
•55 per cent of people who admit to drink driving see a need
to change their behaviour.
Tips for keeping safe
Myth busters
1.It is difficult to accurately monitor how much alcohol you
consume due to:
• different size and shape of glasses
•different alcohol content for each type of alcoholic beverage
(wine/beers/spirits)
• size of standard drinks for each type of alcoholic beverage
•gradual alcohol impairment (that is, the more you drink, the
less accurate your guesses become about the amount of
alcohol consumed).
It is also important to remember that your BAC may continue to
rise after someone has stopped drinking. This is why it is not a
good idea to rely on the results from a machine in a hotel that
measures BAC to determine whether a person should drive.
2. There are other variables that affect your BAC, including:
• your weight, gender, and metabolism
• how long since you last ate
• how often you drink alcohol.
Risky behaviour
Drink driving remains a major contributor to fatalities and injuries
on Australian roads, even though a BAC limit has been in place
for more than 30 years. A 2014 survey of 3000 Queensland
drivers found that:
•7 per cent of Queensland drivers drive when they are over
the alcohol limit, while 18 per cent may drive the next day
when they may be over the limit.
•31 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds report driving the next
morning when they may be over the limit.
I’ll be safe to drive after a few hours’ sleep
Drivers are putting their licence, their lives and the lives
of others at risk if they believe a few hours’ sleep after a
night of drinking, makes them safe to drive the next day.
The only thing that reduces your BAC is time. If you’ve
had a big night of drinking, don’t take the gamble of
driving in the morning.
If I have something to eat before I go to bed, and
drink lots of water, I’ll be fine to drive in the morning
The only thing that will reduce your BAC is time. After a
big night of drinking, you could still be over the alcohol
limit the next morning, especially if your BAC limit is
zero. Coffee, cold showers, vomiting or exercise will not
reduce your BAC.
We’re all responsible for keeping our roads safe. If you’re going
to drink, plan ahead and make arrangements to get home safely
and avoid driving the morning after. You could also:
• Plan to stay at a friend’s place rather than drive.
•Leave the car at home and consider alternative transport
such as a taxi or public transport.
•If you’re going out with others, decide who will be the ‘dry
driver’. Choosing a designated driver before you go out,
means you can all travel to the venue in one car.
If you’re hosting friends or family at your house:
•Provide non-alcoholic drinks so there’s a choice for the
‘dry drivers’.
• Provide food and encourage your guests to eat.
•Open the ‘mates motel’ and offer a bed or lounge for the
night to guests who want to have a few drinks.
• Call a taxi for drivers who shouldn’t drive.
•Don’t be afraid to take the keys from guests you think
shouldn’t drive.
•Remember, your guests may still be over the limit the next
day, so encourage them to hang around until they’re sure
they are safe to drive.
If you’re walking home after drinking, walk with a sober friend
or in a group, stay on the footpath, and only cross the road
at marked crossings or under a street light, where it makes
you more visible to motorists. Remember, alcohol affects your
judgement, impairs your coordination and slows your reflexes,
making drink-walking potentially dangerous.
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There are two key reasons why counting drinks is
not the safest option: