As pubs and bars in Wales re-opened their doors on Monday, research suggests drink-driving cases could soar.

New FOI data obtained by Confused.com reveals that a staggering 2990 drivers in Wales were caught drink-driving in 2019.

And according to recent research, more than a quarter (26 per cent) of drivers in the region were planning on heading to the pub to celebrate the end of lockdown, when hearing pubs were opening in England last week – raising fears for a spike in drink-driving offenses.

In fact, drink-driving figures in the region could be set to grow year on year if we carry on with our current trend.

From January to April this year, 783 motorists were caught drink-driving, only shy of the 916 caught for the same period last year – despite the country going into lockdown. But according to the figures, South Wales saw the highest number of offenses, with 1402 drivers caught in the region last year.

With social distancing rules still in place, many revellers are surely wondering how to get home safely after drinking.

In fact, almost a quarter of UK motorists (24 per cent) have admitted to driving after a tipple, because they didn’t feel drunk. And as many of us start to use our cars more, for travel to work or non-essential shops, it can be confusing to know exactly when we’re safe to get back behind the wheel.

To clear things up, our alcohol consumption calculator helps drivers work out how much alcohol could still be in their system, and estimates how long they’ll have to wait before it leaves their body – so they can stay on the right side of the law.

Historically, summertime is a prolific time for drink-driving, with 2,861 UK motorists caught driving under the influence in July last year.

That’s according to new FOI data obtained by Confused.com.

As people are expected to flock to pubs re-opening across the UK over the next few months, this summer could be on track to attract record numbers of drink-driving convictions, especially while public transport restrictions are still in place.

Across the whole year, 41,011 drivers in the UK were caught driving under the influence in 2019. And from January to April this year, shockingly, more than 9,000 motorists were caught drink-driving.

Despite the country entering full lockdown in mid-March, these figures are just shy of the 10,750 motorists caught during the same period in 2019.

But this might come as no surprise, as research shows that one in twenty motorists (5 per cent) think it’s acceptable to drive over the limit when the roads are quieter due to lockdown measures.

It appears that the lockdown has caused more of us to increase our drinking habits, as a quarter of people (25 per cent) admit they are drinking more than usual under the circumstances. And some think risking their licence is worthwhile under the circumstances, as new research reveals nearly one in ten drivers (8 per cent) have driven home over the limit.

It seems that some drivers are willing to continue risking their safety when the roads start to get busier, as one in twenty (5 per cent) motorists say they’d consider driving home after a few drinks, if social distancing stops them from getting a taxi or a lift.

Further research shows that people are drinking without fully understanding how much they can have before driving. Almost a third (31 per cent) of UK drivers are confused about the legal drink-driving limit. And according to the research, more than half (57 per cent) would feel safe to drive after one or two drinks, while shockingly, almost a further one in twenty (4 per cent) would consider driving after a third drink.

While many people can’t wait for drinking establishments to fling their doors open once more, there are some concerns as a quarter of people (25 per cent) fear that post lockdown will be a dangerous time for drink-driving.

In fact, a further quarter (25 per cent) think that people will be more likely to risk getting behind the wheel after a few drinks post-lockdown. And to make matters worse, almost two-fifths (37 per cent) of people think that it’ll won’t be possible to enforce social distancing rules when pubs reopen.

As we return to a new sense of ‘normal’, it’s likely that roads will get busier and police will be back out in force. So, it’s best not to get too complacent under lockdown measures by risking getting behind the wheel after a tipple.

Even when social distancing, taxis are still running, so it’s always best to take the safe option after a few drinks. Because no doubt the police will catch those who might take the risk.

Alex Kindred, car insurance expert at Confused.com, said: “I’m sure for many of us, the chance to meet up with friends in pubs and bars is a welcome relief after many months of lockdown measures.

“But as we ease out of one risky situation, we don’t want to put ourselves in danger of another. With our research showing that some people in Wales may be planning to drink will be driving as part of their post lockdown celebrations, we need to clue up on the drink-drive laws, as there is a steep price to pay when putting yourself and others at risk.

“It’s quite simple: if you’re drinking, don’t drive. If you’re driving, don’t drink. And don’t think you’re out of the woods the morning after, as it’s a prime time for drink-drivers to get caught.

“It can be confusing to know how long we need to wait before driving, but our alcohol consumption calculator helps estimate when you could be safe to drive. But when in doubt, don’t drive!”