Can I Drive the Morning After Drinking in Ireland?

For this one, ignore "barstool lawyers"

You think you’ve slept it off. But are you really safe to drive?

It’s Sunday morning. You’ve got plans.

Maybe it’s football.

Mass.

A spin to collect the kids.

But there’s one nagging doubt:

“Am I OK to drive after last night’s drinks?”

You feel grand — maybe a bit tired, but not drunk.

Still, something doesn’t sit right.

You’re not imagining things.

This is one of the most Googled questions in Ireland every weekend.

And for good reason — because the answer is murky, and the risk is massive.

“The [Medical] Bureau does not provide advice

on when it is safe to drive after drinking alcohol.”

That’s not a glitch.

It’s a warning.

If the very agency in charge of testing alcohol

won’t touch that question —

then you probably shouldn’t either"

FAQ: Is it safe to drive the next morning after drinking?

Nobody can answer that for sure.

Not even the experts.

The Medical Bureau of Road Safety (MBRS) — the State lab that tests your blood or urine if you're arrested — refuses to give any blanket advice.

“The Bureau does not provide advice on when it is safe to drive after drinking alcohol.”

That’s not a glitch. It’s a warning.

If the very agency in charge of testing alcohol won’t touch that question — then you probably shouldn’t either.

Why not? Surely there’s a rough guideline?

You’ve probably heard something like this:

“One standard drink takes one hour to leave your system.”

That’s the Drink Aware (www.drinkaware.ie) rule-of-thumb.

And it’s fine as a rough estimate.

But you need to understand — it’s not law.

And it’s definitely not a defence.

Because the truth is:

• Some people metabolise alcohol slowly

• Food, sleep, stress, and body weight all make a difference

• What worked for you before might not work now

• And don’t even think of trying to rely on one of those “alcohol tester” devices I see in pub dispensers. They are not a recognised defence.

How does Irish law treat “the morning after”?

Exactly the same as the night before.

There’s no bonus for honesty.

No allowance for confusion.

And the Gardai are out there, waiting for you.

One person might clear six drinks in six hours.

Another might still be over the limit by breakfast.

Drink Aware themselves warn:

“For example, if you have consumed 4 standard drinks, it is recommended to wait at least 4 hours before driving. However, it is important to note that this is just a general guideline, and individual factors…can affect the length of time it takes for alcohol to be eliminated from the body”

FAQ: How does Irish law treat “the morning after”?

Exactly the same as the night before.

There’s no bonus for honesty.

No allowance for confusion.

And the Gardai are out there, waiting for you.

If you’re over the legal limit — even by a whisker — you’ll be:

• Prosecuted

• Automatically disqualified from driving if convicted

There’s no warning system. No good-faith exceptions.

And don’t forget:

Even if you feel fine, you can still fail the roadside breath test.

Because that test — the Dräger device — doesn’t measure whether you’re legally over the limit.

It just detects any alcohol in your breath.

If it registers alcohol — you’re arrested. Full stop.

And by the time you’ve been taken to the station, provided a second sample, waited for a doctor, and finally been told you're under the limit… it’s already too late.

You’ve still been arrested.

You’ve still spent hours in Garda custody.

"I do this stuff all day every day.

Want to know what I’d say if a family member

asked me whether they could drive after one drink?

"Don’t even attempt it"

And yes — the Garda might cheerfully say “you got lucky” on the way out.

But honestly, it won’t feel that way.

And if you had kids in the car with you when you were arrested, even if you’re under the limit you’re now going to have a referral to Tusla and your partner will be suitably overjoyed.

Even more so if you’re separated and the relationship is fraught at the best of times.

Expect them to go into court seeking to have your access to your kids restricted or removed entirely.

All because you were arrested.  

FAQ: What if I’m not sure I’m under the limit — but I really need to drive?

Then don’t.

This isn’t about overreacting.

It’s about protecting your licence — and maybe your future.

If you're wrong, even slightly — you lose your licence. No ifs, no buts.

It’s a zero-tolerance system.

People often think of disqualification as a punishment for the night before.

But in Ireland, it’s just as often handed out for the morning after.

And that’s the part no one tells you.

Final thought

If you’re unsure — even 10% unsure — don’t chance it.

Get a lift. Postpone the plans.

Walk if you have to.

Because when you're standing in court six weeks from now, the judge won’t care that it was a Sunday morning.

Or that you felt fine.

Or that you thought you were safe.

Just like the theory that “facts don’t care about your feelings”, when it comes to drink driving, neither do courts.

They’ll care about the number on the printout.

That’s what potentially decides your future.

I do this stuff all day every day. Want to know what I’d say if a family member asked me whether they could drive after one drink?

"Don’t even attempt it".

After all, it’s the choice between going off the road…or driving home.

And everybody wants to drive home.