Auckland Transport – media release

17 December 2014

New campaign debunks stupid drink-driving myths

“Four drunk eyes are as good as two sober eyes”.

This is just one of the alarming myths that’s come out of a recent Auckland Transport survey that sought to understand how people make decisions around drinking and driving.

The research, involving 20 to 29-year-old males and females, revealed some concerning views around what constitutes safe driving choices.

Other commonly-held views from the survey included:

• “I’m the least drunk sober driver”
• “Better a drunk person you know, than a sober stranger”
• “It’s ok if your mates push you to drive”
• “I’ve sobered up so I’m sweet to drive”
Auckland Transport is this week launching a new summer campaign to debunk these sorts of drink-driving myths and promote the pre-planning of designated sober drivers to ensure everyone gets home safely.

“The Drunksense/Straightsense campaign highlights some of the stupid and dangerous views that people hold around drinking and driving and looks to debunk these urban myths and promote safer choices,” says Auckland Transport’s Community and Road Safety Manager, Karen Hay.

“Our key message to Aucklanders is to look out for themselves and others with a bit of pre-planning. Designate a sober driver before you start drinking to reduce the chances of making a flawed decision around who is capable of driving home safely”.

Ms Hay says the weeks leading up to, and following Christmas, can be a high-risk period for alcohol-related crashes.

“Drink driving is still a major problem, particularly around the holiday season, when traditionally alcohol-related deaths and serious injuries can spike,” she says. “In Auckland, alcohol-related road deaths and serious injuries have been trending downwards since 2009, but they stillcontribute to 28% of all road deaths and serious injuries”.

“Young drivers aged 20 to 24 make up 27% of all drivers involved in alcohol-related crashes, which is why the campaign is primarily targeted at them. However crash statistics show that people of all ages are continuing to put lives at risk by thinking they can drive safely with an excess amount of alcohol in their system. It’s not just an issue affecting younger drivers”.

Counties Manukau Road Policing Manager Inspector Alison Brand says alcohol at any level impairs driving: “Even small amounts of alcohol affect your judgement, and the ability to drive safely begins to deteriorate after even one drink.”

The campaign coincides with this month’s introduction of new blood alcohol limit for New Zealand drivers aged 20 years and over, lowered from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (0.08), to 50mg (0.05). The zero alcohol limit remains unchanged for drivers under 20.

The sober driver campaign uses the Twitter hashtags #drunksense to highlight some of the more stupid sober driving myths and #straightsense to provide some sensible solutions to common drink-driving dilemmas. Campaign messages will feature on social media channels, radio, in cinemas, on street posters, and at community events.

For more information, visit AT’s ‘Make It Home’ Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/makeithome
.

ENDS

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