Some Surprising Sober Statistics

This week, one of my tweets highlighting free soft drinks for designated drivers from Coca-cola, (in the UK only I'm afraid) was picked up by a member of their research team. She provided me with some statistics from research carried out this year. Coca-Cola launched its Designated Driver campaign in partnership with THINK! (the Department of Transport's road safety campaign) currently celebrating its 50 year anniversary. I thought sharing some data here would be a nice change from my own musings and opinions.

Of those polled, 87% reported still having a great night out sober with more than half planning to take the role of driver a second time during the festive period. Apart from the clear head the next day, almost three-quarters looked forward to saving £50 over 2 nights out and over half of friends benefitting from a sober driver would contribute to petrol and parking costs, as well as buying the driver soft drinks throughout the night.

Times are changing and it is now recognised women made up an increasing proportion of those caught drink driving and 92% of the British public would be ashamed to drink and drive.

Disappointingly, almost half of designated drivers are offered alcoholic drinks, 'Not even just one? 'cos it's Christmas?'

These findings are almost identical to what we, the sober population, know about alcohol. Once we get over mourning its loss from our lives, we continue to reap the benefits and have fun too, albeit a very different type of fun. One of the main benefits I feel is that when I drive to a party, it is by choice rather than necessity. When I used to drink lots of wine, the worst thing was driving and not being 'allowed' or 'able' to drink and therefore 'missing out'. Not wanting to drink and not needing to drink remove alcohol from the equation and replace the negative mindset with a positive one.

The 87% who still enjoy themselves sober is surprising because we have an ingrained feeling that alcohol equals enjoyment and more can only be better. 87% probably mirrors the population of 'normal' drinkers: those for whom drinking is not a problem and therefore, not drinking is not a problem either.

I've written lots on how to party sober but one activity I laughed at on Coca-colas guide to partying sober was to take photos of the 'fun' and 'antics' of drunk people. This really appealed to my sense of humour although will no doubt add to the suspicion often levelled at the sober ones. You can join in the conversation on twitter using #DesignatedHero


Whatever the reason you are staying sober this Christmas you will enjoy the festivities minus the hangovers and the other negative effects of alcohol.

I've never regretted not drinking. Have you?