Young drink drivers think they'll get away with it, warns research by road safety charity

The research compared the opinions of younger and older drivers and found that younger drivers were twice as likely to think there was no chance they would get caught drink driving. Out of a survey of more than 4,000 drivers, 1 in 12 young drivers (aged 17-25) thought there was no chance at all they'd get caught if they chose to drink drive, compared with 1 in 25 older drivers.

The findings are being released at a time when police publicise high-profile drink drive checks. The news also comes as road safety campaigners prepare their responses to a Government consultation on 'road safety compliance' including enforcement of drink drivers. The consultation invites opinions on targeted drink drive check points by police, but falls short of proposing random drink drive testing, which would allow police to stop and breathalyse someone without reason to suspect drink driving. At the moment, police are only allowed to stop and breathalyse a driver if they have reason to suspect they are drunk; for example if they are driving erratically.

Brake is calling on the Government to implement random drink drive testing by an increased number of traffic police. Countries such as New Zealand and Australia, have successfully implemented random testing, often conducted at key times such as club kick out times late at night. Brake is also calling for a reduction in the UK's drink drive limit which is one of the highest in the world. Brake has been calling for some years for a limit of 50 mg/100 ml or less, compared with the current 80mg which encourages drivers to think one or two drinks is fine - whereas the truth is that any amount of alcohol impairs your driving.

[B]Mary Williams OBE[/B], chief executive, Brake: "Without a strong deterrent, young people prepared to risk drink driving will have no reason not to - and this research shows that for a significant minority of new-generation drivers, that deterrent simply isn't seen to be there. Drink driving can only be eliminated through a multi-pronged approach of strong, ever-present enforcement and constant high profile TV advertising explaining that you won't get away with it. This just doesn't exist in the UK. As a charity, all Brake can do is implore all drivers not to drink and drive this festive season - not a drop - to prevent the most appalling deaths and devastation to families at a time of year that is supposed to be about love and caring."

[U][B]FACTS ABOUT YOUNG DRINK DRIVERS[/U][/B]

►One in eight car licence holders are aged under 25,[1] yet in more than one in three (35%) car crashes involving alcohol the drunk driver is aged under 25 [2].

►More than 1 in 5 (22%) offenders convicted of being drunk drivers are under 25 [3].

►One in three drivers who die on UK roads are under 25 [4].

►In New South Wales, Australia, since the introduction of random breath testing in 1982, fatal crashes involving alcohol have dropped from 40 per cent of all fatalities to 19 per cent. (RTA New South Wales 2008 www.rta.nsw.gov.au )

[B]About Brake[/B]

[B]Brake[/B] is an independent national road safety charity which promotes road safety, runs community road safety training programmes and events including [B]Road Safety Week[/B] (23-29 November 2009). Brake's [B]Fleet Safety Forum[/B] provides up-to-date fleet safety resources to fleet managers. [B]BrakeCare[/B], Brake's support division, cares for road crash victims through a helpline and other services. Individuals can sign Brake's [B]Pledge to Drive Safely[/B] and call Brake's Zak the Zebra hotline to name and shame dangerous roads in their area. For fund-raising ideas to help Brake visit www.brake.org.uk

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Credits: JRC