Drink Driving: Drinking & driving wrecks lives

Drink Driving: Drinking & driving wrecks lives

1987 TV campaign, Government advertising to discourage drinking and driving had been running since 1976 but had been off TV for 1985 and 1986. Aimed at young working class males who were the group receiving the most convictions and was to make drinking and driving socially unacceptable. Mainly TV with sponsored advertising and display in public buildings. Campaign generated a great deal of press interest. Approach was through the emotional reactions of people involved in the tragedy - 'drinking and driving wrecks lives'. Reported cases dropped beyond expectations and by Jan 1988 over the limit drinking and driving had fallen to lowest level. Hard core group showed the greatest drop. DOT reported a reduction in road casualties - likely that campaign had some influence on this fall. Campaign has continued and become more hard hitting.