§ Mr. AlexanderTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of media campaigns in reducing the incidence of drink driving. [124053]
§ Mr. HillOur drink drive media campaigns have aimed to stimulate media and public awareness of the message not to drink and drive. They have also provided a focus for co-ordinated complementary activity by police forces, local authorities and many others in the public and private sectors. Effectiveness is measured on an ongoing basis by
market research which tracks, each month, advertising recall and changes in attitudes across a range of road safety issues,behaviour change indicators such as proportions failing breath tests and, over the longer term,casualty statistics.The tables show the reduction in casualties and in the percentage of positive breath tests over recent years.
82W
Fatalities and serious injuries in drink drive accidents 1979 and 1998 Year 1979 1998 Percentage difference Fatalities 1,640 460 -72 Serious injuries 8,300 2520 -70
Percentage of breath tests which were positive/refused 1988–1998 Year Percentage positive/refused 1988 25 1989 20 1990 17 1991 16 1992 17 1993 15 1994 14 1995 13 1996 13 1997 13 19981 12 1Provisional