Common tricks people use to cover up drinking

Drivers have tried all manner of tricks to try and sober up or mask the fact that they’ve been drinking alcohol when they get pulled over by the police. But do any of these tricks actually work?
 
Maybe you attempted to fool a police officer in the past but it proved unsuccessful and you ended up with a drink driving conviction. No doubt you’ve learnt your lesson, but you may be struggling to find competitively priced insurance as a result.
 
If you’re committed to getting back behind the wheel the team at Insurance Factory can help to set you up with car insurance for drink drivers. We don’t judge; instead, we take the time to understand your unique needs before finding you the right policy, for the right price.
 
We have access to a panel of specialist insurers and have over 20 years of experience in the market.
 
Now let’s take a look at some of the top tricks drivers have used to try and sober up or disguise the fact that they’re over the limit.
 

Eating lots of food to ‘soak up’ the alcohol

Sure, eating a heavy meal after a session on the booze might make a driver feel less intoxicated, but the alcohol will still be in their system. It doesn’t just go away because they’ve devoured a large pizza with a side of chips!
 
Your driving will still be impaired because of the alcohol. And in fact, eating a large meal is likely to make you feel tired and sluggish, two things that can also negatively affect your driving ability.
 A pepperoni pizza in a takeaway box

Drinking caffeine

Many crafty drivers have reached for coffee to try and sober up and counteract the effects of alcohol, but this is just as ineffective as eating a large meal.

While caffeine may make someone feel more alert and improve concentration, these effects will be short-lived, especially if they have alcohol in their system.
 
The risk with caffeine is that it may make someone feel like they are fine to drive (for instance by staving off sleepiness) even though they aren’t. The alcohol already in their body will still be impacting things like reaction times, decision-making and coordination.
 

Spraying perfume/aftershave to mask the scent

Some drivers have doused themselves in body spray, perfume or aftershave to try and shift the smell of alcohol when they’re behind the wheel, but guess what?

Police officers are savvy to this! Chances are these scents will soon wear off, while the smell of booze will stay put.
 

Chewing gum and sucking on a lemon or penny

There are many different tricks drivers have used in an attempt to fool the breathalyser.

This includes chewing gum and sucking on a mint or lemon – however, none of these will stop the device from identifying the presence of booze in your breath sample.
 
According to an old wives’ tale, sucking on a penny or placing it beneath your tongue was a way to trick the breathalyser. But this doesn’t work either – as well as being ineffective, it’s also incredibly unhygienic!
 A person chewing gum next to a car

Making yourself sick

In a desperate attempt to sober up, some drivers have forced themselves to be sick before getting behind the wheel.

But again, doing this will never rid all of the alcohol from your body – it’s in your bloodstream and not just in your stomach.

Also making yourself sick is a risk to your health, potentially leading to things a sore throat, choking or tooth decay.
 

Taking the back roads to avoid being caught

While it may be true that there will be a lighter police presence in rural areas and back roads (due to there being less traffic overall), you can still be caught in the act.

The real issue with this trick is how dangerous it is. Driving while over the limit raises your risk of being involved in an accident.

If you crashed on a quiet country road and you got stuck or couldn’t use your phone because of having no signal, it could be hours before help arrived. It could prove fatal.
 A windy country roading through a thick forest

‘One drink an hour’ rule

Some people believe that limiting drinks to one an hour can help you to enjoy booze but without feeling drunk.

While this may be the case, it doesn’t mean that it will have any less an impact on someone’s ability to drive.

You’re still likely to become more intoxicated with each drink you have, regardless of the time in between.
 

Taking a shower

While a refreshing shower provides benefits similar to caffeine in that it wakes you up and helps you to feel more alert, it’s not going to sober you up.

It also won’t do much to mask the scent of booze because it will still be on your breath. And with that in mind, the alcohol on your breath is likely to cut through the smell of minty toothpaste in no time at all.
 

The bottom line? You can’t cheat the system!

Ultimately, none of these tricks are effective and the very best way of not getting caught drink driving is to not drink and drive! It’s as simple as that.
 
The best thing to do is follow the ‘zero alcohol’ rule. Even one alcoholic drink can impair your driving, increase the risk to yourself and others on the road and push you over the limit, so stick with the soft drinks instead and save the booze for when your car is at home.
 A woman looking unhappy after failing a breathalyser test in her car

Car insurance for drink drivers

Remember, the Insurance Factory can help to set you up with a car insurance policy when you’re ready to get back on the road following a conviction. The types of convictions we can provide cover for include:
 
  • Driving without insurance
  • Driving/attempting to drive with a blood alcohol level exceeding allowance limits
  • Speeding on a motorway
  • Driving in a dangerous manner
  • Driving at a dangerous speed
  • Reckless driving
  • Non-motoring convictions
 
If you can’t see your conviction listed above then simply give us a call to discuss your requirements with one of our friendly team members.
 
If you’re looking for car insurance following a drink drive conviction, get a quote today.