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YULE RUE THE DAY

U.K. Drinking and Driving Campaign Begins

5 December, 2004

The new Christmas road safety drink drive campaign was launched today by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling.

The campaign warns drivers that it takes less than you might think for your driving to be impaired by alcohol, and highlights the potential dangers to both motorists and other people.

560 people were killed in drink drive related crashes in 2003. In addition, 2,600 were seriously injured and 19,000 were slightly injured.

To support this campaign, the Department has developed partnerships with a wide range of organisations who will be reinforcing and extending the Department's drink driving message. Initiatives include the display of anti-drink drive messages on milk cartons, non-alcoholic cocktail messages in pubs and displays in selected off licences, bars and pubs chains.

Alistair Darling said:  "As we enter the festive period it is essential that motorists remember that if they are going to drink, they should either leave their car at home or get someone else to drive. You can't calculate your own drink/drive limit and the only safe way is not to drink and drive."

As part of its commitment to reducing the number of drink drive casualties, the Government has just published its Road Safety Bill which contains measures to:

• allow breath tests taken at the side of the road to be used as evidence in court;
  

• make the worst drink drivers face a re-test;
  

• allow convicted drink-drivers to face 'alcohol locks', devices which need a clear breath test before the car will start.

Alistair Darling added: "The majority of law-abiding motorists are fed up with the reckless minority of drivers who continue to take unacceptable risks by drinking and driving. This is why we have taken new police powers in the Road Safety Bill to toughen up the penalties for the worst offending drink drivers and other irresponsible drivers."

Source: DfT News Release 2004/0157