Wiltshire Police launch Annual Drink Drive Crackdown

According to Wiltshire Police, every resource available will be used to catch people who drive after drinking, as well as those that drive "the morning after the night before" while still under the influence of alcohol.

Roadshows will be held in Salisbury, Trowbridge, Devizes and Chippenham during December to highlight the issue.

Drivers visiting the roadshows will be able to see the remains of a car actually involved in a crash, and the Police hope that the visual shock of a damaged car will resonate with the public.

Drivers will also have a chance to speak to people who have been affected by fatal crashes, as well as representatives from Wiltshire Police, Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service and Wiltshire Council.

The events will all run from 10am until 2pm as follows:

Salisbury Market Place on Tuesday, December 13

Trowbridge Spitfire Retail Park on Wednesday, December 14

Devizes Market Place on Thursday, December 15

Chippenham High Street on Friday, December 16

Drink driving remains one of the essential themes in the Wiltshire Road Safety Partnership's strategy to reduce serious injuries and deaths on the county's roads. Even a small amount of alcohol can impair judgement and the ability to drive safely.

As a result, people who have a drink this Christmas are being encouraged to leave their cars at home.

Those who need to drive the following morning are also being encouraged not to drink. If you have been out drinking, you may still be affected by alcohol the next day.

Nearly one in five people who are convicted of drink driving are caught the morning after and do not realise that they can still lose their licence if they are over the legal alcohol level.

Dick Tonge, Wiltshire Council's cabinet member for highways, said: "This is not just an event for drivers or learners, but for everyone, as we all need to be more aware of how drink driving can ruin lives.

We want to show the consequences of drink driving, and how it can destroy the lives of families and friends of the victims and the drink driver. "

The road safety partnership is working with partners in the emergency services to bring down the number of crashes on Wiltshire's roads, and the roadshows this year is part of an effort to change people's behaviour.

Ian Hopkins, road safety development officer at Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service, said: "Firefighters are called to hundreds of road traffic collisions every year in Wiltshire, and we do everything we can to reduce the number of people who are killed or injured in this way. We want people to enjoy Christmas – a drink or two may seem fun, but it could lead to a hospital stay or, worse, a fatality if you then drive."

Every week 11 people are killed by drink drivers, and more than 400 every year. In addition, every year around 80 deaths are caused by drivers who are under the drink-drive limit but who have some alcohol in their blood.

So far in 2011 there have been 31 fatal collisions in Wiltshire resulting in 32 fatalities, 9 were within the 17-25 age group, which is 28% of the total fatalities.