New summer campaign highlights risks of drinking and driving

The Department of Infrastructure has launched a new campaign to highlight the risks of drinking and driving in summer.

The department’s road safety team has themed the campaign “They’re not going on a summer holiday” – with posters showing a driver being breathalyzed on his way to the beach with his family.

The campaign’s been timed to coincide with the start of the school summer holidays and comes after statistics showed the vast majority of those convicted of drink-driving during TT were locals.

Leonard Singer MHK, departmental member with responsibility for road safety, says the summer is a drink-drive hotspot.

Along with Christmas and New Year, Mr Singer says the summer months are when more drink-drivers are caught.

And he says even if drink drivers manage to avoid being involved in crashes, they face a driving ban and a hefty fine.

He says with children off school, and good weather meaning more barbecues, people may be tempted to drink more when they socialise.

Mr Singer says drink driving wrecks lives and is never acceptable at any time of the year – he’s hoping the summer campaign will hammer home that message.