The survey, which comes as this year’s Christmas anti-drink driving campaign from the AA and Pernod Ricard UK is launched, found that women are more likely than men to agree a designated driver beforehand (58% vs. 52%). Likelihood to do this also increases with age; 43% of 18-24 year olds say that they would agree a designated driver before going out for the evening to an occasion involving drinking alcohol, increasing to 58% of those aged 65 and over.

Members living in London are the least likely to agree a designated driver beforehand (40%), and are the most likely to plan to use public transport or taxis (39%).

Drivers in the East of England (61%) and the South West (60%) are most likely to agree a designated driver beforehand.

The survey also showed that people try various approaches the morning after heavy drinking to attempt to alleviate a hangover. The most popular tactic amongst more than one third (37%) of drivers is to drink lots of water, while almost half of younger drivers aged 18-24 years old will have a fried breakfast (45%).

However, although some doctors have indicated that these techniques may help sooth a hangover, it is less clear that they reduce alcohol levels more quickly.

Therefore, Pernod Ricard UK and the AA recommend that if people are going to drive, even early the next day, then they should not drink.

Edmund King, AA president, said: ‘It is encouraging to see that many people are choosing to select a designated driver before a night out but it’s really important that they also consider arrangements for the morning after too. Alcohol levels in the body can still mean that drivers are over the limit the following morning and we want to ensure that people are fully aware of this when they are making the decision whether or not to get behind the wheel. 

‘There are many urban myths and rituals used to try to counter hang-overs and reduce blood alcohol levels but the only save method is to drink less or give adequate time for the alcohol to leave your system. The same penalties, such as minimum year’s ban, for drink driving apply the morning after as they do the night before.’