Christmas crackdown on drink drivers (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Christmas crackdown on drink drivers

POLICE are issuing a fresh appeal to all motorists not to drink and drive during the Christmas and New Year period and are warning those who ignore the advice that they stand a good chance of getting caught.

As the holiday period approaches, a great many people will be out celebrating and any temptation to just have 'a few' drinks before driving home is one that the Police warn must be resisted.

Sergeant Dave Melvin, Wiltshire Constabulary's Force Road Safety Officer, says that reminders are necessary because, despite the efforts of a number of agencies to educate the motoring public about the dangers, the number of people killed in drink-drive collisions has been rising since 1998.

"We are not saying to anyone - don't go out and have a drink and enjoy yourself - we are just saying don't mix that with driving", said Sergeant Melvin.

"Alcohol is absorbed very quickly into the bloodstream and affects your judgement. We don't want the festive celebrations marred by deaths and injuries on the roads.

We are asking all concerned to take a responsible attitude and not ruin their own, their family's or other people's celebrations, by ignoring the advice."

For those that say they are "ok after a couple of drinks" and would not fail a breath test, the Police are reinforcing the message that they could not be more wrong.

"There is no failsafe guide as to how much you can drink and stay under the legal limit. You simply cannot calculate it - so don't try and guess it," said Sergeant Melvin.

"The amount and type of alcoholic drink, a person's weight, sex, age and metabolism are all variable factors in each case. The only safe amount of alcohol you can have, if you are driving, is none.

About 3,500 people are killed or seriously injured nationwide each year in drink-related road collisions and about 44 percent of these are innocent victims. One in seven road deaths are alcohol-related.