Speak up to stop regular drink-drivers

MICHAEL PRINGLE

Crimestoppers Scotland is encouraging the North Lanarkshire public to speak up about those who regularly drink and get behind the wheel.

The temptation to drink alcohol and then drive while over the legal limit can increase with office parties and get-togethers over the festive period.

The Crimestoppers charity in Scotland received more than 1,000 anonymous calls about regular drink drivers last year that resulted in 78 people being arrested and charged.

This year’s campaign is using real-life examples taken from information the charity received from phone calls last year.

These included a mum who was drunk on the school run; a work colleague regularly driving home drunk from the train station; and a man taking back roads home from a village pub.

Scotland is classed as being 91 per cent rural, so the charity has witnessed an increase in calls from people concerned that someone they know is risking the longer drive home while drunk behind the wheel.

The legal drink drive limit in Scotland was lowered in 2016, with 20 people losing their lives and around 90 seriously injured each year.

Crimestoppers is urging anyone with information to speak out and tell them who is getting behind the wheel while over the limit.

Angela Parker, national manager for Scotland Crimestoppers, said: “Noone wants to meet a drunk driver on Scotland’s roads, so your information could help prevent an accident from happening and could even help save lives.

“We appreciate that if you’re close to someone who gets behind the wheel regularly whilst over the limit, it can be difficult to come forward.

“It could be a work colleague, a neighbour, or even a family member or a friend. This can explain why some people are reluctant to go to the police because of the fear of being identified.