Drink Drive Message Failing As One In 15 Fail Breath-Tests

ROAD safety charity Brake has issued an appeal to the public to not drink and drive this summer and all year-round, as figures from the Association of Chief Police Officer's (ACPO) summer drink drive enforcement campaign, show one in 15 of those breath-tested were over the limit.

During the national campaign, which ran from 1 June to 30 June, 63,688 breath tests were administered, of which 4,108 (6.5%, or one in 15) were failed or refused. This is 1.3% more than during the 2013 campaign. The failure rate was even higher among under 25s, at 7.5% (one in 13).

Commenting on the figures, Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, said: "Brake supports ACPO taking a proactive role in stopping deadly drink drivers. It is frustrating to see too many drivers still selfishly risking lives by getting behind the wheel after drinking, even when the dangers and consequences are so well documented. Our message to drivers is to pledge to never drive after drinking any alcohol - not a drop.

"To stamp out the menace of drink driving, we need the government to introduce a zero-tolerance drink drive limit, rather than asking drivers to do the impossible and guess if they are safe to drive. The law needs to make it crystal clear that drinking any amount of alcohol makes you a danger at the wheel. We also need the government to give greater priority to traffic policing, so we have a suitably strong deterrent against this abhorrent behaviour."

By Press Association reporters