Drink driving deathserves as a warning

The car in which 18-year-old Matthew Alston died the morning after drinking alcohol on Saturday August 14, 2010 shows the devastating cosequences drink driving can have.

Police will be joined by Lancashire County Council’s Wasted Lives team along with other emergency service colleagues at the launch of the campaign today, Thursday, December 1.

This year the crackdown will also see officers using saliva testing kits alongside the standard breath tests meaning motorists will not only be tested for the alcohol but also for cannabis and cocaine.

Modelled on drink-driving tests, the legislation, which was introduced on March 2 2015, makes it an offence for motorists to drive with 
certain drugs above a specified level in their blood. Inspector Andy Trotter from the Constabulary’s Road Policing Unit said: “This year a main focus of our activity will be on late night revellers who may still be over the limit the morning after and we will be using a crashed car which was involved in a fatal road traffic collision to highlight the devastating consequences of drink or drug driving.

“If you drive at twice the legal alcohol limit you are at least 30 times more likely to cause a road traffic collision than a driver who hasn’t been drinking, potentially 
resulting in serious injury or death. A conviction could also mean that you lose your job, home, family and friends. The consequences can be absolutely devastating.

“We are determined to keep our roads safe, whether that is at night or the morning after and we will be working throughout the festive period to keep the public safe.

We want people to enjoy the festive season but to 
remember the consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. “