Who’s taking you home tonight? This is the question being asked as part of this year's anti drink-drive campaign, which is being launched by the Safer Roads for Cumbria partnership on Friday 25th November.
The festive season advertising campaign features the poignant question next to a picture of a taxi, police car, ambulance and a hearse, with the aim of pushing home the dangers of drink-driving.
Around 450 people are killed or seriously injured every year on Cumbria’s roads. There has been a significant increase in drunk drivers being involved in road accidents over the last seven months. On average 15 people are arrested every week for drink driving in Cumbria. Nationally drivers who are under the influence of drink or drugs cause one in seven fatalities.
County councilor Geoff Hodgson, cabinet spokesman for community safety said:
“If you are going out enjoying yourself over the festive season leave the car at home, get a taxi or arrange for a lift with someone who is not drinking. This simple yet effective campaign highlights the alternative methods of transport available to party goers. Let’s hope it makes drivers think before getting behind the wheel this year”.
The campaign coincides with the launch of a Police crackdown which will be carried out across the county over the next month. Police will be carrying out high profile vehicle and breath checks at roadside locations in an attempt to reduce alcohol related road casualties in Cumbria with an aim to stop accidents before they happen by detecting and deterring drink drivers.
Steve Turnbull, Superintendent of Uniform Operations said:
"The emphasis on the drink drive operation is enforcement. We are now breath testing more people and arresting more people for drink driving than we ever have done before in this county. Analysis shows that there has been a sharp increase in the amount of collisions where alcohol is involved.
If people drink and drive they are running a serious risk of being killed, injured or ending up under arrest in the back of a police car. Drivers must also appreciate that if they drink large quantities of alcohol during evening celebrations, they could still be over the limit the following morning. The message is simple, you can't calculate your alcohol limit, so don't even try".