As drink-drive deaths increase, Adam Withrington takes a look at the issue.
Over the last 15 years drink-driving has progressively become more socially unacceptable.
Therefore it came as something of a shock to many that the number of deaths caused as a result of drink-driving has risen by a massive 22 per cent in the last three years.
Provisional figures from the Department of Transport state that 560 people were killed last year, while 2,820 were seriously injured in drink-drive related incidents.
But who is to blame? Last month the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) issued the results of a survey which showed that 80 per cent of drivers were unaware of what the legal limit actually was. The RAC blamed publicans for confusing consumers with upsized measures of wine and spirits.
However, Jim Minton, director of campaigns for The Portman Group, believes the trade does all it can to try to prevent incidents of drink-driving.
Last year, the watchdog relaunched its "I'll be Des" campaign, which encouraged consumers to designate a non-drinking driver.
Mr Minton said: "We got really great support from large pub companies such as Unique and Laurel with our Des campaign. We sent out 10,000 campaign packs. That is 12 to 15 per cent of the pub market."
Mike Jobbins, chairman of the Campaign Against Drink Driving, thinks blaming the trade ignores a host of other factors. He said: "I think there has been a great deal of inactivity
by the government - it is not putting enough money into campaigns. Plus the chances of getting caught for drink-driving are ever-decreasing. The police are less visible and they seem more concerned with stopping speeding drivers."
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Solutions
Targeted campaign against main offenders
A recent government study showed that the main offenders are a hard core of 20 to 30-year-olds. Jim Minton, from The Portman Group, thinks focusing on this group year-round would be a new approach and one that might work. "The latest figures show that drink-drive fatalities are highest in the August to October period, which I think shows that the targeted Christmas campaign does work," he said.
Lower the drink-drive limit
- For
At their Party Conference last month the Liberal Democrats voted in favour of plans to lower the drink-drive limit from the current level of 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood to 50.
The LibDem's transport spokesman Don Foster said it was important for Britain's policy to fall into line with the rest of Europe.
Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, Surrey, said: "There is concrete evidence that suggests between 50 and 80 lives could be saved each year if we reduce the legal drink-drive limit."
Against
According to a poll on thePublican.com earlier this month, 64 per cent of respondents said the current alcohol limit was sensible and should not be changed.
Tony Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Associations, said: "I don't think reducing the limit on drink-driving would work. It penalises the people who comply with the law. What needs to happen is for magistrates to impose heavier sentences. If they listen to these do-gooders who are trying to lower the limit, these idiots will keep on drinking and driving."