Guernsey Press

WATCH: Drink-driving could cost your car too

A ‘CRUSHING REALITY’ is the message behind the Bailiwick’s Christmas campaign to tackle drink-driving this year, with the message aimed not only at dissuading those tempted that not only can it shatter lives, it can also mean their car is destroyed.

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Drivers who are tempted to drink and drive were warned of the greater consequences their actions face as the Christmas campaign to combat it was launched by Inspector Thomas Marshall, who leads Guernsey Police’s roads policing unit, and Andrea Nightingale, substance misuse lead for the Health Improvement Commission. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 29015806)

In the last few months Guernsey Police has been given new powers to seize, sell or crush a vehicle when the driver is a repeat offender, or is significantly over the legal alcohol limit.

Bailiwick Law Enforcement have made a video which shows the consequences of drink-driving, and posters have also been put up on the back of two prison vans.

Another one of the slogans this year is ‘it’s easy to bump into people you know’, to emphasis how easy it could be to kill or seriously injure someone connected to you.

Police are increasing their patrols and will be carrying out stop checks.

Inspector Thomas Marshall. (29015810)

Inspector Tom Marshall, who leads the roads policing unit, said there were serious consequences to being caught.

‘The courts have been forfeiting the vehicles of drink-drivers to the police, and if that happens there is then a number of options of what can happen to that vehicle.

‘We could sell it, we could crush it, we could potentially use it as a vehicle for our purposes, either as a police vehicle or for training etc.

‘So it’s really just highlighting the fact that not only is drink-driving extremely dangerous, but the consequences of being caught are now not only prison, fine, and a driving ban, but potentially also the loss of your vehicle as well.’

Last year 45 motorists were caught drink-driving around Christmas.

Inspector Thomas Marshall, who leads the Roads Policing Unit and Andrea Nightingale, Substance Use Lead for the Health Improvement Commission. (29015818)

The legal limit in breath is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, but Inspector Marshall said that the only safe amount was zero.

Andrea Nightingale, the substance misuse lead for the Health Improvement Commission, stressed that there was only a small minority who thought they could get away with it.

‘We feel the tagline “it’s easy to bump into someone you know” is very relevant to a small island because everyone knows everyone in Guernsey, and the rippling effect of a drink-drive accident is huge and devastating to all concerned.’