With Halloween celebrations and nights out planned across the country, Drinkaware cautions adults never to drive with any alcohol in their system, including the morning after
- 87% of adults now agree that any amount of alcohol impairs their ability to drive.
- Only 77% believe that driving the morning after a night of drinking is just as dangerous as drink-driving itself.
22nd October 2026 – Drinkaware, the national independent charity working to prevent and reduce alcohol misuse, is providing the public with valuable information and advice to help ensure a safe October Bank Holiday weekend.
As the long weekend approaches, many people across Ireland will be preparing for nights out, get-togethers and Halloween celebrations. Drinkaware is encouraging adults to plan ahead, be mindful of their alcohol consumption and consider the benefits of alcohol-free socialising.
Drinkaware is reminding adults never to drink and drive and to leave the car at home, while also highlighting the risks of driving the morning after consuming alcohol. Alcohol can stay in the body long after drinking has stopped, and any amount of alcohol can impair your ability to drive. Don’t let alcohol turn a fun night into a nightmare. If you are drinking, plan ahead for how you will get home safely.
Data from the Drinkaware Barometer reveals that while 87% of adults agree that any amount of alcohol impairs driving ability, only 77% recognise that driving the morning after is just as dangerous. Alarmingly, this knowledge gap widens significantly among certain groups; for instance, only 65% of adults under 35 recognise the risk of driving the morning after drinking. Bank holiday weekends remain a key risk period, with 51% of adults admitting that specific seasonal times or events lead them to drink more.1
Drinkaware CEO Dearbhla O’Brien commented:
“The October Bank Holiday is a chance to have fun with family and friends, but it’s important to plan ahead if alcohol is part of your plans. Alcohol can affect your judgement, coordination and reaction times well into the next morning. Even if you feel fine, you could still be over the legal limit.
If you are drinking, leave the car at home and arrange a lift, taxi or public transport. Thinking about how you will get home before you head out, and being mindful of how much you drink, can make a real difference to your safety and the safety of others.
The only way to remove alcohol from your body is time. So don’t take a chance with drink-driving, particularly the morning after a night out.”
It’s important to remember that only time removes alcohol from your system. On average, it takes at least one hour to process a standard drink, following your final drink. A standard drink is roughly equivalent to: A small glass of wine (100ml at 12.5%), a half pint of lager (4.5%), or a pub measure of spirits (40%).
Drinkaware’s online Drinks Calculator helps people estimate how long it may take their body to process alcohol and is a valuable tool when planning nights out or next-day travel. Common beliefs that a cold shower, strong coffee, a big breakfast, or intense exercise can speed up sobriety are entirely false. While these methods might help you feel temporarily more alert, they do not impact the fixed rate at which your liver processes alcohol.
Drink-driving remains a serious problem on Irish roads. In the first half of 2026, an average of one driver was arrested every hour of every day for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, more than 4,600 arrests between 1st January and 30th June.⁴
A new Road Safety Authority (RSA) report, Young Drivers in Casualty Collisions, Ireland 2021–2025, presented on 8th October 2026, also identifies late-night and early-morning periods as high-risk for young drivers. It found that 189 drivers aged 17 to 25 were involved in 178 fatal collisions between 2021 and 2025, making up 19% of all drivers involved in fatal collisions. Nearly one third of these collisions occurred between 8 pm and midnight, and a further 21% between midnight and 4 am.⁵
These are the hours when nights out wind down and the journey home gets planned, or doesn’t. Drinkaware is encouraging everyone, young adults in particular, to decide how they will get home, whether by lift, taxi or public transport, before they go out.
Drinkaware is offering the following tips to promote moderate drinking this bank holiday weekend:
- Plan Your Exit and Get Home Safe: Decide how you’ll get home before you go out, and remember that taxis and public transport can be busier over a bank holiday weekend. Don’t be afraid to leave when it feels right.
- Alternate with Non-Alcoholic Drinks: Swap every alcoholic drink with a glass of water or a non-alcoholic option.
- Moderation: Particularly if drinking at home, don’t top up your glass; let yourself finish the drink before pouring another. Measure your drinks using a standard drinks cup, which you can avail of free from www.Drinkaware.ie
- Stay Out of Rounds: Buying rounds can make it harder to keep track of how much you’re drinking — and more difficult to say no.
- Know Your Limits: Ask yourself, ‘Do I really want this drink?’ – Be aware of how much alcohol your body can tolerate and monitor how you’re feeling throughout the evening.
- Explore an Alcohol-Free Night: Consider how you want to feel the next morning — and let that guide your choices. Choosing a night off from alcohol can be empowering — and more enjoyable than you might think – and Sober October is a good time to try it.
Drinkaware advises anyone concerned about their drinking to speak to their GP or healthcare professional before making changes to their alcohol consumption. For more information and to try the Drinks Calculator, please visit http://www.drinkaware.ie.
ENDS
For further information or to arrange an interview with Drinkaware CEO Dearbhla O’Brien, please contact:
Sandra Flood | Etch Communications | sandra@etchcomms.ie | 087 617 7130
Sarah-Kate Spratt | Etch Communications | sarahkate@etchcomms.ie | 089 611 5041
Notes to the editor:
About Drinkaware: Drinkaware is a national charity working to prevent and reduce alcohol misuse in Ireland. It is governed by an independent board and regulated by the Charities Regulator. Registered Charity Number: 20204601
It takes at least 1 hour to process 1 standard drink. This is a guide for information purposes only. Many factors will affect this time, including age, gender, weight, alcohol strength, the speed of your metabolism and the number of drinks consumed. Common standard drinks include a half pint of 4.5% lager, a 100ml glass of 12.5% wine and a pub measure of 40% spirits. Find out more here.
References:
- Drinkaware Barometer 2025 is a national population-based survey of 1,062 adults aged 18+ conducted by Ipsos B&A in July 2025. The research forms part of the ongoing Drinkaware Barometer series and includes internationally recognised measures on alcohol consumption patterns, attitudes, and mental well-being.
- What is Binge Drinking? Drinkaware: https://drinkaware.ie/what-is-binge-drinking/
- An Garda Síochána roads policing statistics for 2026 (provisional figures as of 6th October 2026, subject to change): https://www.garda.ie/en/roads-policing/statistics/roads-policing-statistics-for-2026/
- An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority bank holiday weekend appeal, 29th July 2026: https://www.rsa.ie/news-events/news/details/2026/07/29/an-garda-s%C3%ADoch%C3%A1na-and-the-road-safety-authority-are-urging-road-users-to-slow-down-and-think-about-other-people-on-the-road-this-bank-holiday-weekend
- Road Safety Authority (RSA), Young Drivers in Casualty Collisions, Ireland 2021–2025, presented at the RSA Annual International Conference, 8th October 2026.