Christmas anti drink/drive campaign launched

LONDON - The government launched its annual drink/drive campaign on Friday with the focus on young men and the message to motorists to leave their cars at home if they are going out to enjoy festive cheer.

Police said officers across the country would be out in force to check on drivers over the Christmas period.

More than half a million drivers are stopped and breathalysed every year, with more breath tests carried out in December than other months.

"Drink driving ruins lives. Last year 540 people died in this pointless, avoidable way -- that's lives shattered and the dreams of family and friends devastated," said Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick.

A survey for insurer Direct Line found this month that 40 percent of drivers want a complete ban on drinking before getting behind the wheel, saying the current situation is confusing.

The current legal limit is 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, with the safe amount a person can drink depending on various factors such as age, weight and gender.

In the survey, 45 percent of motorists admitted drinking before driving and 4 percent, which the insurer said equated to 1.3 million people, did so regularly.

The government said it wants to get over the message that the only safe approach is not to drink at all before driving.

"Being caught has serious consequences -- a criminal record, minimum one year driving ban and large fine," Fitzpatrick said.

"It's just not worth paying this price for a couple of drinks at the Christmas party. Leave the car keys at home."

The "THINK! campaign", which will be particularly aimed at young men, will involved Internet, radio and cinema adverts as well as publicity in pubs.

In a separate Christmas crackdown, the government said a four-week campaign to target pubs and stores selling alcohol to underage drinkers would also begin on Friday.

It will see plain-clothed police officers visiting poorly managed premises with a history of alcohol-related disorder to clamp down on those that sell booze to youngsters.