Knowing how many units of alcohol are in each drink that you consume at a dinner party or on a big night out is vital, says local organisation South Africans Against Drunk Driving (Sadd).

The organisation’s Caro Smit said that while it supported initiatives such as the Cape Argus and Department of Transport’s Name and Shame campaign – in which the names of people convicted of drinking and driving-related offences are published in the newspaper – it was vital that people learn more about alcohol.

For instance, Smit said, people needed to be informed about how to measure a unit of alcohol.

“Apart from putting people’s names in (the newspaper), you need to tell them what a unit is… so they can moderate their drinking,” said Smit. “They don’t know, for example, that if you’ve got a big party one evening and the next day you have a hangover, you’ve still got alcohol in your system.”