Driving with hangover is as fatal as drunk-driving, says Ford

Christmas eve is fast approaching. It's the time of the year when people celebrate with their family – and drinking is not exempted. However, Ford wants to remind everyone of the dangers, not only does drunk-driving bring, but driving while having a hangover as well. 

Using social media channels, where researchers monitored posts that mention the word 'hangover.' They found out that the time of the year where more people get hangovers is the Christmas season, specifically from December 14 onwards, with 11 a.m. as the peak hangover time.

Ford has found out that driving with hangover is as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. This is because the effect of alcohol could last/hang onto your system until the morning after, which is why it’s called ‘hangover.’ While this could be hard to determine without breathalyzer, it is a fact that even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can affect a person's reflexes – pulling his ability to drive below normal.

To support the study, researchers from Meyer-Hentschel Institute created a suit to simulate the status of having a hangover. Dubbed as the 'Hangover Suit,' the apparatus consists of a special vest, wrist and ankle weights, cap and goggles, and headphones. This allows it to imitate symptoms of fatigue, dizziness, throbbing head, and difficulty concentrating.

In the Philippines, Ford uses the 'Fatal Vision Goggles' to educate people about the effects of drinking while drunk or hungover. The goggles let the user witness the consequences of driving after excessively drinking, as it simulates how alcohol causes poor vision, judgement, and reaction time. The Fatal Vision Goggles can be accessed by attending the company’s Ford Driving Skills For Life.

So, if you ever are having a Christmas Eve party away from home, it is better if you would just leave your car and take a cab – even if you plan to go home the day after. Have a merry and safe Christmas, everyone.