If you're the one driving home later, here's the short answer: the best designated driver drinks have no alcohol in them at all. That means no single 'light' drink, and no one can sipped slowly all night. In Canada, the legal limits are lower than most people think. Alcohol keeps getting into your blood after your last sip, and 'feeling fine' doesn't measure anything. Here's how standard drinks, timing and impaired driving limits actually work, and how to plan a night you can still enjoy where everyone gets home safely.
Why 'Feeling Fine' Isn't a Plan
Alcohol affects your judgement before it affects how you feel, and that includes your judgement about whether you're impaired. Your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) can keep rising for 30 to 90 minutes after your last drink while your body finishes absorbing it. So the moment you feel most sure of yourself can be the moment you're least sober. Body size, food, medication, fatigue and how fast you drank all change the numbers. That's why no app, rule of thumb or self-check can tell you it's safe to drive.
Impaired Driving Limits in Canada
- 0.08 (80 mg of alcohol per 100 mL of blood) is the Criminal Code limit. It also covers the two hours after you stop driving, so being over the limit soon after you get out of the car can still lead to a charge.
- 0.05 brings provincial penalties in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, even with no criminal charge. These can include an immediate licence suspension, fines and having your vehicle impounded.
- Zero is the limit for novice drivers in graduated licensing programs, and in Ontario for drivers 21 and under.
- Any amount can count: you can be charged with impaired driving at any BAC if alcohol has affected your ability to drive.
Police can also ask any lawfully stopped driver for a roadside breath sample. Rules and penalties change, so check your province's current rules before you head out.
Standard Drinks in Canada: What One Actually Looks Like
A standard drink in Canada contains 13.45 g (about 17 mL) of pure alcohol. That works out to roughly:
- 341 mL (one bottle) of 5% beer, cider or cooler
- 142 mL (a small glass) of 12% wine
- 43 mL (one shot) of 40% spirits
Canned cocktails vary. A 355 mL can at 5% alcohol is a little more than one standard drink, and stronger or taller cans contain more, so always check the alcohol percentage on the label. On average, your body clears about one standard drink per hour, and nothing speeds that up. Coffee, water, food, fresh air and cold showers don't lower your BAC. Only time does.
The Best Designated Driver Drinks
Being the driver doesn't mean drinking tap water all night. Try these:
- Dressed-up water: still or sparkling water with fresh lime, cucumber or mint, served in a proper glass with ice.
- Zero-proof cocktails: many bars across Canada now have mocktail menus, and you can ask for drinks made without bitters or liqueurs.
- Iced tea, lemonade or juice spritzers: go easy on the sugar if it's a long night.
- Non-alcoholic beer and spirits: read the label, because some 'de-alcoholized' products still contain small traces of alcohol. If you're under a zero-tolerance rule, plain mixers are the safest choice.
Pacing Tips for Everyone Else
For passengers, responsible drinking still matters. Count your drinks in standard drinks, not glasses. Eat before and during the night, have a glass of water between drinks, and set a limit before you start. Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health says the fewer drinks you have, the lower your risk.
Plan the Ride Before the First Drink
- Pick the driver before anyone orders, and make it a firm commitment, not a maybe.
- Save a backup: a taxi or rideshare app, the last transit times, or a couch to sleep on.
- Hand over your keys early if plans change and you decide to drink.
- Plan for the next morning too. After a late, heavy night you may still be over the limit when you wake up.
Where Aura Fits (and Where It Doesn't)
Aura is an alcoholic drink, so it's never a designated driver drink. When you're not driving, though, it's a good fit for a slower pace. Each can is premium vodka with alkaline water and natural flavour, with no added sugar and no artificial sweeteners. It's completely still, with no carbonation, so it's easy to sip slowly instead of gulping. Learn more about why Aura is made this way.
Next time you're riding home instead of driving, try our vodka water cocktails in Cucumber Lime, Coconut Pineapple or Mango Peach. Ontario customers can order direct, and anyone in British Columbia or Alberta can find a store through where to buy. Please enjoy responsibly, only if you're of legal drinking age in your province, and never drink and drive.