§ 29. Mr. BoyesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the results of anti- drink driving campaigns over the last 10 years.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe Department has carried out regular anti-drink-drive campaigns since 1976 and has monitored them.
Our surveys over this period, regularly reported in "Annual Road Accidents Great Britain: The Casualty Report", show a greater public awareness of the problem, and a hardening of attitudes against drinking drivers.
The survey of the Department's 1987 summer campaign found that 80 per cent, of men spontaneously recalled the TV advertisements.
Responses to survey questions suggest that the likelihood of someone driving after drinking has been significantly reduced in the last 10 years. 53,000 more roadside breath tests were carried out in 1986 in England and Wales than in 1985—up 20 per cent.—resulting in the detection of 5,000 more drivers over the legal limit —an increase of 5 per cent. In 1986 37 per cent, more drivers and riders involved in injury accidents were breath tested than in 1985. Despite this increase, 5 per cent, fewer failed the test.
Drinking and driving remains our most serious road safety problem. We will continue to make every effort to tackle it.