Eighteen thousand breathalyzers will be handed out to drivers by policemen, driving instructors and priests in Poland as part of a campaign against the nation’s drunk driving epidemic.

One in five drivers (about 4 million) in Poland admit to getting behind the wheel in a situation when they were not sure if they were sober or not.

Psychologist Jadwiga Bak from the Transport Institute says drivers often don’t realize that a few hours of sleep after drinking at a party may not be enough to get rid of all the alcohol they consumed out their system.

The so-called “day after syndrome” slows down their reactions and increases the accident risk.

Surveys show that the problem of “unaware drunk driving” concerns many of Poland’s estimated 20 million drivers. A half of them don’t know what is the blood-alcohol limit for drivers in this country (0.2 grammes), while 70 percent have no idea how fast alcohol is metabolized by the body.

The campaign, sponsored by Regional Road Traffic Centers and the national drivers’ pastor, is addressed mainly at young people, who tend to overestimate their driving and risk assessment skills. (kk)

source: iar, pap