One drink is ONE too many

Over the past three years there has been a worrying rise in the number of accidents involving drivers over the legal blood-alohol limit.

We look at how just one extra drink can lead to a whole series of problems.

WITH the Christmas party season getting into full swing, diaries are getting filled with opportunities to hit the pubs and clubs.

But having a festive drink can lead to horrendous consequences if you then get behind the wheel.

Shocking figures show that Lancashire police and paramedics dealt with 363 casualties at smashes in 2006 - 44 more than in 2005.

And, last year, the county's police had to deal with more injured people involved in drink-drive car crashes than their counterparts in London.

Last year Lancashire also had the fourth highest drink-drive accident rate in the country and efforts have been doubled in a bid to crackdown on the problem.

Lancashire Constabulary's road policing manager, Chief Inspector Jon Donnelly, said: "The current position is not acceptable and there are far too many injuries and fatali-ties through drink driving on Lancashire's roads.

"As a result, we are robustly targeting this offence and over the past couple of months the number of breath tests we have carried out has increased, but we would also ask members of the public to be vigilant in reporting this kind of offence."

It is not clear why Lancas-hire drivers are more tempted to get in to their cars after booze fuelled sessions.

A lack of a lift is often given as a justification, but it is not a valid one.

Sergeant Pete Sculpher, of East Lancashire's road policing unit, said: "There are more rural roads in this county than in bigger inner city areas and we don't have the same public transport infrastructure - but we do have plenty of taxi firms so there is no excuse for some-one getting behind the wheel after a drink when they could just call a cab."

A new survey carried out by the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety (LPRS) shows that while attitudes towards drink-driving are changing for the better, younger drivers are less concerned about the consequences of having a few pints and then getting in a car.

Half of the 16 to 24-year-olds questioned thought that it was fine to drive after having a drink.

Kat Whitemoss, champion for young drivers at LPRS, said: "It's fantastic news for all of us that drinking and driving, on the whole, is becoming more and more socially unacceptable. But there does seem to be a feeling of invincibility with young people at the moment.

"They think it will never happen to them' - they are above the law and can do anything, but as casualty stats show this is very far from the truth."

Road safety charity Brake is pushing for a zero-alcohol limit for drivers. A spokes-man for the group said: "Even one drink is one too many. Even a small amount can impair your driving ability and it is not worth running that risk.

"Around 80 people are killed each year in accidents where drivers have alcohol in their system but are not over the limit."

The LPRS survey found that 72 per cent of licence holders would support such an alcohol ban.

The Lancashire Telegra-ph's Wasted Lives campaign, aimed at cutting the number of deaths amongst young drivers, has called for a zero-alcohol limit to be introduced in drivers under the age of 25.

But when this idea was put to younger drivers, a large number disagreed with it. The worry is that shock tactics advertising is no longer working with this age group, many of whom think it is macho to drive home after a night at the pub.

The Department for Trans-port's latest drink-driving campaign is predominantly aimed at young male drivers, with the message that having that one extra pint could put you over the limit. It points out that that drink could cost you your licence, your car, your girlfriend, your freed-om - and even your life.

To combat the problem, police are also stepping up roadside spot checks in the run up to Christmas. They will take place night and day in the hope of creating a highly visible deterrent to drink drivers.

Locations for the checks will be publicised to encou-rage party goers to agree who is the designated driver, or plan ahead and use public transport or book a taxi.

Chief Inspector Donnelly said: "I would like to remind people who may consider having a drink before getting behind the wheel that if they're caught they can expect a two-year ban as well as over £1,000 in fines and costs.

"If you drink and drive in Lancashire you will be caught.

"Many people, unwittingly, will even be over the limit the morning after and so we will be maintaining our checkpoints throughout the day."

• If you are worried about someone who habitually drinks and drives, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.