Kent has been dubbed the "drink driving" capital of the South East, according to newly published data.

Of the 7,313 motorists caught over the limit last year 31% (2,312 people) were driving on roads in the county.

A survey by Confused.com found nearly one in five motorists are confused about how long they must wait before driving the morning after a heavy night.

WATCH: How long do you wait before driving?

To clear up confusion and promote safe driving, the insurance comparison website has created a morning after calculator which shows just how long it can take for alcohol to wear off.

Officials hope it will help educate drivers before and help them make a more informed decision before they decide to get behind the wheel.

Users can tally up just how much booze they drank the night before and the calculator will estimate how long they should wait before it is safe to drive.

Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, said: "Knowing how long to wait between drinking and driving is confusing.

"And perhaps this is why the number of motorists caught over the legal limit has increased in the South East in such a short space of time.

"This is why we've created a morning after calculator to help make it clearer just how long it can take for alcohol to wear off. And it’s longer than you think."

The drink driving figures, obtained by a Freedom of Information request, show 300 more people were caught over the limit in the South East last year compared to 2017.

The Confused.com survey found 24% of the UK drivers caught drink driving 15% were pulled over by police between 6am and 12pm.

Ms Stretton says festival-goers are often most at risk of breaking the law.

"Most of us like to enjoy a few drinks over the summer, especially at festivals," she said.

"But we should be cautious if we're driving the next day, as you can still be over the limit hours later.

"One way to avoid this risk by taking out temporary car insurance cover.

"This means a friend or family member can take control if they are in a better state to drive.

"Otherwise, we should always leave plenty of time between drinking and jumping behind the wheel. Better safe than sorry."

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