How Are YOU Getting Home Tonight?

If you’re out celebrating Christmas over the coming weeks how would you prefer to travel home?

In a taxi?… in an ambulance?… or in a hearse?

That’s the hard hitting message being delivered to festive revellers enjoying an alcohol drink this Christmas, with the simple undertone: Don’t drink and drive.

Putting yourself behind the wheel of a car whilst under the influence of drink or drugs puts you in a compromising position; you risk the life of yourself, your passengers, and others on the road.

Blackpool Council and Blackpool Police are leading the awareness campaign to reinforce the harsh reality of the dangers of drinking and driving. With the support of Blackpool Ambulance, Box Bros Ltd funeral directors, the local taxi trade and the popular Shovels pub, the campaign is designed to make people think twice about their consequences.

To help reinforce the messages the Council’s Travel and Road Safety team will be distributingpostersto pubs and clubs across the resort, reminding drinkers of the dangers of driving under the influence. In addition to public awareness local police will be conducing regular road-side spot checks in the run-up to, during, and after Christmas. These 24-hour checks will not only be targeted at drivers on their way home from Christmas parties, but just as importantly the morning after. As a matter of course breathalyser tests will also be carried out in any road traffic accidents.

According to Police statistics from the Western Division, there were 152 positive breath tests amongst males throughout the December period last year. There were also 26 positive results from women.  Nine overall positive tests were associated with road traffic collisions that resulted in injury.

People guilty of drink or drug driving face imprisonment. The Police do not give warnings for these types of offences; if you are over the limit you will be arrested, face a night in a cell, and be put before a court.  In addition to a fine there will also be an obligatory disqualification for a minimum period of 12 months, if not moreCllr Fred Jackson, Cabinet Member for the Urban Environment with responsibility for road safety, said: "Christmas is a great time to socialise withfriends, family and colleagues and many of us indulge in a few extra beers or glasses of wine than usual. All we ask is thatif you are enjoying a drinkthink responsibly and drink responsibly.

"It's extremely difficult to calculate your alcohol limit, so don’t even try.Drink or drug driving is the height of selfishness; it means that drivers are putting their own convenience above the lives of others. So leave the car at home and catch a bus, ring for a taxi, or catch a lift with a sober friend.This is important not only on the night of your celebrations but the morning after."We make no apologies that this latest campaign is hard hitting.We wantto prick the conscience of as many people as possible, andI thank all the localagencies for their well-received support."

Chief Inspector Phil Coope from Blackpool Police added:  “Any amount of alcohol will reduce co-ordination, slow reaction times and distort judgement, so our advice is simple – don’t drink if you will be driving.  

“We will be putting additional resources into our campaign over the festive period, focussing on drink driving 24hours a day and not just at night time. Please take our advice, keep yourself safe and don’t drink and drive.”

Graham Curry Assistant Operations Manager at Blackpool Ambulance urged people not to “become a mortuary statistic”, and added: “Drivers who risk having a drink and or take drugs and then get behind the steering wheelthis Christmas could pay for it for the rest of their lives.  Ambulance staff must sweep up the carnage left behind from people who just thought odd drink or taking drugs would not affect them.

“We have seen so many dead and seriously injured people as a result. The affect of the lives of people left behind are also devastating.”

Steve Norris, landlord at the Shovels pub on Common Edge Road, says that he and his staff do all they can to help promote the anti-drink drive messages, including displaying posters in the pub and keeping an eye on customers. And many people are now acting responsibly. He says: “I’ve noticed, for example, that more customers ask me if they can leave their car in the car park overnight. We also see more groups of office workers take it in turns to be designated drivers. They will alternate it each time.  

“Many of us know someone in our family, social circle or neighbourhood that’s been involved in an accident related to drink driving that has resulted in an injury or even worse a fatality. I was happy to support worthwhile campaigns such as this because the more you do to raise awareness and make people think twice the better.”

Stephen Box from Box Bros added: “Box Bros Ltd are aware of the tragic consequence of drink driving and whole heartedly support the local police and council with their campaign.”