General News
14 December, 2023
Campaign out to bust drink and drive myths
A NEW safety campaign has been launched as the Loddon Shire heads to its highest road toll in four years. Three lives have been lost on local roads so far this year, the same number killed in 2021 compared with two the previous year and four in...
A NEW safety campaign has been launched as the Loddon Shire heads to its highest road toll in four years.
Three lives have been lost on local roads so far this year, the same number killed in 2021 compared with two the previous year and four in 2019.
Only Central Goldfields and Mount Alexander Shires in the Loddon Mallee region have had no fatalities up to last week.
The campaign is highlighting the dangers of low-level drinking and driving and wants to bust the myths people believe on how to stay under .05 when drinking alcohol and ultimately says don’t drink and drive.
It comes as a new Transport Accident Commission report reveals a concerning 48 per cent of Victorians would still consider driving after two or more alcoholic drinks
The TAC and Victoria Police advertising campaign - Stop Kidding Yourself If you drink, don’t drive - says it’s time to remove the guesswork and don’t risk drinking and driving.
TAC CEO Tracey Slatter said: “As we head into summer and the festive season, this campaign is a timely reminder to Victorians that drinking and driving don’t mix. We want to embrace a culture where driving after drinking any alcohol is not considered normal.
“Many people think they can manage their blood-alcohol level by following a set of vague rules handed down through generations, but the only way to avoid the risk entirely is to completely separate drinking and driving.”
The TAC says its impactful new campaign combats key myths on the speed at which people drink, how many standard drinks are appropriate per hour, if people have had enough water, how much people have eaten and even body size. The campaign also emphasises one of the mandatory penalties for all drink drivers caught in Victoria – having an interlock device installed.
“Of all the substances that are tested roadside, alcohol remains the most represented drug in fatally injured drivers – with close to one in five drivers and riders killed being over the legal limit,” the TAC said.
The campaign is being rolled out across Victoria through regional newspapers, television radio, outdoor advertising and online platforms.
There have been 23 fatalities on Loddon Mallee roads so far this year, down from 27 in 2022 and the equal lowest since 2019 when there were 38 deaths.