Hosts to deter drink-drivers

Licensees are doing their bit to stamp out drink-driving this Christmas as part of the Department of Transport's festive campaign.

Posters with the slogan "It takes less than you think for your driving to be impaired" are going up at Greene King, Young's, Fuller's, Laurel and Spirit pubs.

In addition, Britvic is rolling out its non-alcoholic cocktail list, aimed at drivers who use JD Wetherspoon and Union Pub Company outlets.

Pubs in the Bradford area are being sent 50,000 beer mats with taxi numbers on the back, thanks to local media company Innovative Media. And in London pubs, the anti drink-drive message is being included on poster ads for Scooterman ­ a service that sees an insured driver offering to drive an intoxicated customer's car home for a fee.

These initiatives follow the release of the Government's Road Safety Bill, which proposes: fitting "alcohol locks" to cars so drivers have to clear a breath test before the vehicle could start; allowing road-side breath tests to be used as evidence in court; and making the worst drink-drivers re-take their tests.

The department said drink-drivers had caused 560 deaths and 2,600 serious injuries in 2003.

Police use shock tactic for drivers

A battered Ford Fiesta is the latest weapon in the war against drink-driving in Kent this Christmas. Kent police are taking the car through the county to shock drivers and stop them drink-driving.

The car was not involved in a fatal accident but a woman passenger received broken ribs and facial injuries after colliding with a street lamp. The driver, a man in his 20s, suffered whiplash. The incident resulted in him being fined £300 and banned from driving.

Inspector Chris Highsted said: "The message is if you are drinking alcohol, please don't drive afterwards."