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‘Tis the season for mulled cider and wine, but not while you’re driving

13 December 2021

If you plan to be ‘merry’ this holiday season, remember to promote a designated driver or call a taxi when you’re headed home from any Christmas celebrations. 

Earlier this year, the road safety group THINK! launched a campaign which called on young men to intervene and ‘Pint Block’ their mates after it was discovered that a third would not intervene if a friend was planning to drink and drive.

Statistics show that 60 young drivers aged 17-24 are killed or injured each month in car accidents whilst found to be over the legal alcohol limit – a figure in which young males are ‘over-represented’. Young males aged 17-24 are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in an accident than those aged 25 or over.

Interestingly, young males were also the focus of a 2018 campaign by the group, ‘THINK! Christmas Drink Drive’ which similarly called on friends to step in and prevent each other from getting behind the wheel after taking a drink. 

In both campaigns, the message is ‘a mate doesn't let a mate drink drive’.

Aside from the serious risk posed to both the influenced driver and other road users, offenders can face punishments of varying severity reflective of the incident. Penalties can range from a £2,500 fine and possible driving ban to imprisonment for a period of up to 14 years.

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