Safety chiefs in Huddersfield have urged drivers: “Don’t drink at all”.

Brake, the road safety charity, is today urging drivers to pledge not to drink any alcohol before getting behind the wheel this summer, as the Association of Chief Police Officers’ (ACPO) month-long drink and drug driving enforcement campaign kicks off.

The campaign will see police across England and Wales stepping up roadside alcohol and drug checks, and warning the public about the risks.

As part of last summer’s campaign, 100,892 drivers were breathalysed, of whom 5,170 failed the test - a slight drop on the previous year.

Brake fears the World Cup next month will mean more people will be tempted to drink and drive.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, said: “Drink driving remains one of the biggest killers on our roads, yet every year thousands of drivers risk it.

“That’s why it’s so important that the police are out in force clamping down on this selfish behaviour, now and throughout the year.

“However, even if you’re under the limit, you can still be a danger: even very small amounts of alcohol significantly affect your judgement and reactions at the wheel. We need everyone on board with the message that motor vehicles and alcohol - in any amount - don’t mix.

“We’re calling on drivers to pledge to never drive after drinking even one drink, and for government to introduce a zero-tolerance drink drive limit, to help stamp out the deadly menace of drink driving once and for all.”

One in six deaths on UK roads are caused by drink drivers over the current legal limit of 80mg alcohol per 100 ml blood, but drivers with even 20-50mg alcohol per 100ml of blood are at least three times more likely to die in a crash than those with no alcohol in their blood

“Campaigning against drink and drug driving has helped us through, but it will never outweigh the grief and loss. If we can stop just one person from drink driving, it will be worthwhile, to prevent another family going through what we have endured over the past 20 months.”

Brake calls for a zero tolerance drink drive limit of 20mg alcohol per 100ml of blood, to send a clear message that it should be none for the road. This allows for naturally occurring alcohol in the body, and is a limit set by numerous other countries including Sweden, Poland and Greece.

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