The advocacy for the prevention of alcohol-related harm in Europe group, Eurocare says that the European Commission’s budget for Drink Driving would be better spent on publicity campaigns promoting effective policy options.
The 2.2 million Euro designated to combat drink driving will not provide value for money for European tax payers, according to Eurocare’s new report on Drinking and Driving in Europe.
Eurocare says that whilst such campaigns are appealing, they have little impact on improving road safety and reducing death and injury from alcohol related accidents.
Although the beverage alcohol industry has a responsibility in reducing drinking and driving, drink driving laws and regulations and public education campaigns should be set and implemented throughout Europe independent of the beverage alcohol industry.
Dr Peter Anderson, the author of the Report, said: If the drink industry wishes to spend their money on designated driver campaigns so be it, but there is certainly no need for the European Commission to waste taxpayers money on them.
Monies in the Commission¹s Drink Driving budget would be better spent on publicity campaigns promoting policy options that are effective such as lowering the legal limit, enforcing the legal limit and automatic suspension of drivers.
Promoting designated drink driving campaigns will make little, if any, dent in the direct costs of road traffic accidents of which cost the EU over 45 million Euro.
More information from Florence Berteletti Kemp, Communication Officer.
