Know the risks of alcohol – especially if you’re driving

A range of local services will be combining their expertise to deliver a co-ordinated message about ‘Knowing the Risks’ of misusing alcohol.

Teams from Bury Council, HMP Forest Bank/Sodexo Justice, the health service and One Recovery will be on The Rock in Bury on Saturday 12 November.

This is part of national Alcohol Awareness Week (14-20 Nov) which aims to get people thinking about alcohol and its effects on individuals, families, communities and society.

The council’s road safety team will be there to highlight the dangers of drink driving and its consequences. They will have replica drinks and unit calculators to emphasise that it can take less than you think to be over the limit.

Jan Brabin, senior road safety officer at Bury Council, said: “The best message is that there is no safe limit drink driving limit, so people should find a safer alternative to getting home. Drivers with as little as 20-50mg per 100ml of blood, which is within the legal limit, are still three times more likely to be involved in a crash than those with no alcohol in their blood. Approximately 20% of all drink drive prosecutions occur in the morning, so drivers also need to ensure that residual alcohol is not still in their system the next day.”

Staff from HMP Forest Bank will also be working alongside the Road Safety Team to emphasise the potentially life-changing consequences of a drink or drug drive conviction.

Sally Houghton, head of resettlement at HMP Forest Bank, said: “The impact of a custodial sentence reaches far beyond the person who is imprisoned; it affects their family, friends and loved ones. Sodexo Justice works closely with community partners to provide education, harm reduction advice and rehabilitation services with the aim of reducing the likelihood of offending and improving the quality of life in our communities.”

The council’s lifestyle service will offer support on alcohol education, harm reduction and advice on brief interventions. Health professionals from One Recovery Bury will be there to give advice on the abuse of alcohol, outlining the recovery and support services that they offer.

Jan added: “Drink driving could result in a driving ban of at least 12 months, six months' imprisonment, and a fine of up to £5,000.

“The consequences could mean someone losing their job, facing increased car insurance costs, and, because of having a criminal record, difficulty in entering some countries like the USA.

“Of course, all of these penalties are completely insignificant when compared with potential serious injury or loss of life. Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 2 November 2016.