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Drink and Drunk Driving wrecks lives!
Although there has been a significant success in reducing the number of people killed in drink and drug drive related collisions over the last 15 years, drink driving remains a serious, life threatening issue.
On average 3,500 people are killed or seriously injured each year. Last year over 90,000 people were convicted of drink driving. The only safe way is not to drink if you are driving
If you know someone who drinks and drives call the confidential Drink Link:
Drink Link 0800 555 111
The legal limit for driving is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. There is no fail-safe guide as to how much you can drink and stay under the limit. Any alcohol, even a small drink will impair driving ability and the only safe course is not to drink any alcohol prior to driving.
Effects on driving ability
Alcohol is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, this affects the brain and impairs driving ability. The following lists the major changes that occur to the human body as a result of alcohol consumption.
At blood alcohol level 20-50mg/ml
Inability to see or locate moving lights correctly. Problems in judging distances. Tendency to take risks.
At blood alcohol level 50-80mg/ml
Impaired judgement of distances. Impaired adaptability of eyes to changing light conditions. Impaired sensitivity to red lights. Severe impairment of ability to react and of concentration.
At blood alcohol level 80-120mg/ml
Euphoria setting in - overestimation of one's own abilities. Impairment of peripheral vision. Increased impairment of eyes' reaction to light and dark. Impaired perception of obstacles and deterioration of ability to assess dimensions.
At blood alcohol level 120-140mg/ml
Beginning of complete unfitness to drive. Serious impairment of concentration and vision. Very delayed and impaired reactions. Major orientation problems.
Sobering up
Getting rid of alcohol is a much slower process requiring hours rather than minutes. There is no way of speeding up alcohol elimination. A person can still be over the legal limit the morning after an evening's drinking.
Consequences
Nearly one in seven of all deaths on Scottish roads involve drivers who are over the legal limit. The risk of being involved in an accident increases rapidly with the amount of alcohol consumed.
Causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs will result in a maximum 10 year jail sentence and a minimum 2 year driving ban.
Driving or attempting to drive whilst above the legal limit or failing to provide a specimen will result in a maximum 6 month jail sentence & fine of £5,000 plus at least a 12 month disqualification.
Other consequences of a drink drive conviction include a criminal record, possible loss of livelihood, increase insurance costs, extreme difficulty in hiring a car for around 10 years, legal expenses, social stigma.
Information from Greater Manchester Police
The Government Campaign
The 'Moment of Doubt' TV ad
The TV ad focuses on Matt, a young man out for a couple of quick drinks with some friends, as he's deciding whether or not to have a second pint before driving home.
As Matt is deciding what to order his world freezes and the barman he's about to order from suddenly transforms into a succession of characters that Matt would encounter if he's caught drink driving.
Matt is powerless to do anything as he sees a police officer asking him to step out of the car for a breath test, a solicitor explaining that he's going to get a 12 month driving ban, his boss explaining that it's company policy not to keep employing someone who has a drink drive conviction, a used car dealer offering him a very low price for his car because he has to sell it quickly to pay a hefty drink driving fine and Matt's partner, angry and distressed that Matt has lost his licence, his job and his car.
Finally, the barman appears again and puts the question to Matt - "So, what's it going to be?"
Using the barman in this way has created an eerie, personal conversation with the viewer which they can't opt out of. The viewer is:
Development of the Current Strategy
Previous campaigns have aimed to persuade young men of the link between drink driving and crashing. This message has been taken on board but new research has shown that attitudes have altered and that young men now believe that:
Therefore, in order to have a new and realistic conversation with young men about drink driving, the current Campaign aims to shift the conversation on from shock and the risk of killing other people to a focus on the more compelling personal consequences of a drink driving conviction.
For these reasons the campaign focuses on the 'moment of doubt' around the decision whether to have a second pint (as this is the moment that young men start to doubt whether they should drive or not) and highlights that a drink drive conviction has the potential to ruin your life.
Although there has been a significant success in reducing the number of people killed in drink and drug drive related collisions over the last 15 years, drink driving remains a serious, life threatening issue.
On average 3,500 people are killed or seriously injured each year. Last year over 90,000 people were convicted of drink driving. The only safe way is not to drink if you are driving
If you know someone who drinks and drives call the confidential Drink Link:
Drink Link 0800 555 111
The legal limit for driving is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. There is no fail-safe guide as to how much you can drink and stay under the limit. Any alcohol, even a small drink will impair driving ability and the only safe course is not to drink any alcohol prior to driving.
Effects on driving ability
Alcohol is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, this affects the brain and impairs driving ability. The following lists the major changes that occur to the human body as a result of alcohol consumption.
At blood alcohol level 20-50mg/ml
Inability to see or locate moving lights correctly. Problems in judging distances. Tendency to take risks.
At blood alcohol level 50-80mg/ml
Impaired judgement of distances. Impaired adaptability of eyes to changing light conditions. Impaired sensitivity to red lights. Severe impairment of ability to react and of concentration.
At blood alcohol level 80-120mg/ml
Euphoria setting in - overestimation of one's own abilities. Impairment of peripheral vision. Increased impairment of eyes' reaction to light and dark. Impaired perception of obstacles and deterioration of ability to assess dimensions.
At blood alcohol level 120-140mg/ml
Beginning of complete unfitness to drive. Serious impairment of concentration and vision. Very delayed and impaired reactions. Major orientation problems.
Sobering up
Getting rid of alcohol is a much slower process requiring hours rather than minutes. There is no way of speeding up alcohol elimination. A person can still be over the legal limit the morning after an evening's drinking.
Consequences
Nearly one in seven of all deaths on Scottish roads involve drivers who are over the legal limit. The risk of being involved in an accident increases rapidly with the amount of alcohol consumed.
Causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs will result in a maximum 10 year jail sentence and a minimum 2 year driving ban.
Driving or attempting to drive whilst above the legal limit or failing to provide a specimen will result in a maximum 6 month jail sentence & fine of £5,000 plus at least a 12 month disqualification.
Other consequences of a drink drive conviction include a criminal record, possible loss of livelihood, increase insurance costs, extreme difficulty in hiring a car for around 10 years, legal expenses, social stigma.
Information from Greater Manchester Police
The Government Campaign
The 'Moment of Doubt' TV ad
The TV ad focuses on Matt, a young man out for a couple of quick drinks with some friends, as he's deciding whether or not to have a second pint before driving home.
As Matt is deciding what to order his world freezes and the barman he's about to order from suddenly transforms into a succession of characters that Matt would encounter if he's caught drink driving.
Matt is powerless to do anything as he sees a police officer asking him to step out of the car for a breath test, a solicitor explaining that he's going to get a 12 month driving ban, his boss explaining that it's company policy not to keep employing someone who has a drink drive conviction, a used car dealer offering him a very low price for his car because he has to sell it quickly to pay a hefty drink driving fine and Matt's partner, angry and distressed that Matt has lost his licence, his job and his car.
Finally, the barman appears again and puts the question to Matt - "So, what's it going to be?"
Using the barman in this way has created an eerie, personal conversation with the viewer which they can't opt out of. The viewer is:
- forced to THINK! about what they'd do in that situation;
- left with the knowledge that a drink drive conviction could ruin their life;
- left feeling uncomfortable.
Development of the Current Strategy
Previous campaigns have aimed to persuade young men of the link between drink driving and crashing. This message has been taken on board but new research has shown that attitudes have altered and that young men now believe that:
- A crash is unlikely after 1-2 drinks.
- Drink drive ads showing a crash are aimed at drunk drivers (more than 3 pints), therefore they opt-out of those messages.
- They're more likely to be over the limit and caught after 1-2 drinks.
- The legal implications of drink driving such as imprisonment, a 12 month driving ban and a criminal record are much more shocking and compelling to them.
Therefore, in order to have a new and realistic conversation with young men about drink driving, the current Campaign aims to shift the conversation on from shock and the risk of killing other people to a focus on the more compelling personal consequences of a drink driving conviction.
For these reasons the campaign focuses on the 'moment of doubt' around the decision whether to have a second pint (as this is the moment that young men start to doubt whether they should drive or not) and highlights that a drink drive conviction has the potential to ruin your life.
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