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Road Safety Minister Andrew Jones said: "Drink driving destroys families and ruins lives, yet some reckless drivers continue to take the risk and get behind the wheel after drinking – particularly young men who account for almost two thirds of drink drivers killed on our roads."
"We have some of the safest roads in the world and deaths from drink driving have fallen significantly over the last 30 years, but it is still responsible for the deaths of 5 people every week. This Christmas we are specifically targeting the biggest perpetrators of this devastating crime – young men, but our message to everyone remains the same: don’t drink and drive." The Minister added.
The government say that a new advert will be posted on Twitter or Facebook everyday throughout December playing on the concept of FOMO ‘fear of missing out’. The adverts aim to make it clear to young men that they have plenty to live for the following day, which they may not see if they choose to have a second drink.
Research carried out for the Department for Transport found 20% of young men have had 2 or more drinks before driving and an extra 11% say they have considered it – with a third of adults telling researchers they felt it wouldn’t impact on their driving. However, research from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) shows a second drink doubles a driver’s chances of being involved in a fatality.
Chief Constable Suzette Davenport, the national roads policing spokesperson, said: Police officers on patrols over the Christmas and New Year period will be specifically targeting people driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and we will also be doing roadside testing, so we can make instant arrests."
"Our message is very simple and very clear – you are breaking the law, you are risking your life and the lives of those around you and the consequences of doing so will plague you for the rest of your life." CC Davenport added.
THINK! has also teamed up with a number of partnership organisations, including Coca-Cola, Arriva and Budweiser to offer drivers solutions to avoid drink driving such as two-for-one on soft drinks for drivers and free taxis for those enjoying the festivities on Christmas Eve. The campaign will run on THINK!’s Facebook and Twitter channels from 1st to 31st of December, to support the police’s drink and drug drive enforcement campaign.
