Winter anti drink-driving campaign launched

The PSNI and Department of Environment (DoE) have launched this year's winter anti drink-driving campaign.

Current police figures reveal that alcohol plays a part in a quarter of all deaths on Northern Ireland’s roads, those deaths including drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

In response to this, Supt Ian Hamill, head of the PSNI’s Road Policing Development Branch, said that, once again, the message was simple – 'Never Ever Drink and Drive'.

"The statistics make stark reading – 28 deaths on our roads last year were attributable to drink-driving - but figures don’t tell the full story in the way that the Bradley family can," Supt Hamill said.

"The financial costs of being caught drinking and driving are well established. Upon conviction drunk drivers will lose their driving licences, they may even lose their jobs. In addition drunken drivers who kill other road users could go to jail. We have seen in recent times the serious view the courts have taken in these cases.

"The human consequences also have to be borne in mind. It’s quite simple: Drinking and driving wrecks lives. Anyone tempted to drink and drive should ask the question ‘Could I live with the shame of killing someone?’"

Attending today's launch was a Londonderry family whose lives were devastated when their son was killed by a drunk driver three years ago.

In December 2000 Robert Bradley, who was 20, was walking back to his university residence in England when he was knocked down and killed by a drunken driver.

Mr Bobby Bradley said his son’s death had devastated the family: "We feel there should be zero tolerance for drink-driving. We would not want any other family to go through what we have."

The DoE's anti drink drive television advertising campaign will commence tonight and run until 6 January 2004 and will be supported by radio and bus-back advertising.

(MB)