Emergency services launch summer drink driving campaign

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Greater Manchester Police joined forces with other emergences services to launch a summer drink driving campaign this week.

The services kick off the awareness scheme by staging the aftermath of a road collision in Manchester City centre to demonstrate how they would work together to tackle such an incident.

Last year's campaign saw more than 5,000 drivers being breathalysed in June across the region, of which 311 tested positive and were arrested.

Officers say that 141 collisions were linked with drink driving during 2011. Road deaths also rose by 42% compared to the previous year, with 75 people losing their lives.

The Emergency services are keen to push the anti-drink driving message this season with the Jubilee weekend and Euro 2012 on the horizon.

Safety campaigners point out that those over the limit are 30 times more likely to cause an accident than those who drive sober.

Convicted drink drivers receive a criminal record, have their licence revoked for at least a year, and have it endorsed for 11. They also risk losing their job and facing increased insurance premiums.

“Police officers and colleagues in the fire and rescue and ambulance service face the carnage and devastation caused by selfish drink drivers far too often” said Inspector John Armfield from Greater Manchester Police’s Roads Policing Unit.

“Going to someone’s home and telling their loved one’s that he or she will not be coming home due to the thoughtless actions of a drink driver is without doubt the worst duty that can fall on a police officer.”