Drink Driving

[gmloki]

Well the Christmas season is well and truly upon us. The parties are in full swing and the police are at of their campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of Drinking whilst intoxicated.

Some facts taken from Campaign Against Drink Driving

*Drink driving dropped dramatically over the ten years from 1986 to 1997. *Drink drive fatalities were 990 in 1986, compared with 540 for 1997. *However, this trend is reversing, with an estimated 590 drink drive deaths in 2004.
*In 2004 nearly 184,000 drivers and riders in road injury accidents were breath tested, with a 4% failure rate, which is the exact same rate as in 1997.
*Drink driving is not restricted to the run up to Christmas, but is an all year round problem.
*In 2003 (the latest year for which we have definite statistics), 2170 people were killed or seriously injured in drink related accidents.
*19% of drivers and riders killed on the roads in 2003 were over the legal blood alcohol limit.
*In injury accidents in 2004 362,303 people were breathalysed and 7,427 failed - that's 2% of those tested.
*In 2004, 3.1% of men involved in injury-accidents failed a breath test, compared to 1.1% of women.
*In 2004 , 56% of all alcohol related accidents occurred between midnight on Thursday and midnight on Sunday.
*In 2004, in the key 17 - 24 age group, 6.3% breath tested after an accident failed the test, compared to an average for all ages of 4.4%

Source: Department for Transport, September 2005

Some fascinating facts. Sometimes people can be over the limit the morning after a night out after just having a few glasses of vino or a few pints.

However do the current laws go far enough to deter people from what is complete irresponsibility ? The current laws extends to (as in most cases) Maximum fine of xand/or time in prison of x Is it possible that the changes to the current licensing laws will be detremental to the reduction in un-necessary deaths and accidents. ?

This is not to judge people by the way as I am sure some of us have driven even after just one drink. Just wanted to find out peoples thoughts on the subject

Loki

 

[GDW]

I drove 14 miles once about 12 years ago after a New Years party and I was pretty drunk. I was totally ashamed of myself the next day and have never repeated the incident.

I think the problem is a generation one. Certainly in Northern Ireland most drink drivers are in the 55 plus age range. Many of them believe they know heir limits (which is bollox)

I think that if you are caught drink driving you should be banned from driving for life.

 

[Tom]

*In 2003 (the latest year for which we have definite statistics), 2170 people were killed or seriously injured in drink related accidents.
*19% of drivers and riders killed on the roads in 2003 were over the legal blood alcohol limit.



Talk about skewing the statistics to make things appear worse than they are.

Interesting that drink driving appears to be on the increase. Possibly related to there being less Traffic Police on the roads, and more speed cameras?

 

[old.Tohtori]

e police are at of their campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of Drinking whilst intoxicated.

What?! You shouldn't drink if you're intoxicated?