The message of this editorial is simple – don’t put your own life and the lives of others at risk over the New Year period – don’t drink and drive.
A lot of fancy things are said about why it is not safe to drink and drive.
Technical details are produced, fancy marketing takes place and a whole myriad of facts and figures are given out in an attempt to educate people and dissuade them from driving while under the influence of alcohol.
This is all well and good – our society needs to be educated about how much you are allowed to drink if you are driving. Yet, it can be no simpler than this, thousands of people die in Europe every year due to drinking and driving. It is most definitely a killer and those who are driving should simply abstain.
Some people might think that they can handle driving while inebriated – but this is, quite simply, not true.
When a person is drunk, their confidence soars – yet their reaction time is reduced, they take risks and, from what can be seen on our roads, some do not have the slightest measure of control over their vehicle.
Driving while drunk can result in a lifetime of consequences for perpetrators and victims alike. We must ask ourselves the question: could any of us ever live with the guilt of having killed or maimed pedestrians or a car full of people? Could we live with ourselves knowing that we have taken loved ones from grieving families, parents or spouses? And all for the sake of not taking a taxi home.
Malta is not the Malta of 10 years ago. We now have better roads, on which we can drive fast, so the danger increases and there are also many high-powered vehicles – another risk if driving while drunk.
The safest thing that people can do is either assign one of their group as the designated driver, who will not drink and will take the others home, or alternatively pre-book a taxi or minibus.
If one looks at the situation, it is simply a lot easier – not worrying about having that extra drink, the hassle of parking and the simple fact that it is safer to do so.
The tone of this editorial is deliberately harsh: drinking and driving causes death and misery and we will not mince our words.
The police should also make sure that officers are stationed outside car parks. One understands that they cannot force people to get into a taxi – but they might be able to persuade them to take a taxi home, if they look as if they are under the influence.
There is a loophole in the law that does not allow for random breathalyser tests – but at this time of the year, the police should put their foot down. Perhaps not to just book people, but to avoid the heartache of people losing their lives.
Another area that we cannot fail to mention is the danger of driving under the influence of drugs. Recent studies in the UK have shown that “drug-driving” is just as dangerous as drink driving. So this appeal also goes out to substance abusers, who might use narcotics over the New Year and still drive.
Driving under the influence of any depressant or amphetamines is also dangerous.
Be safe – do not drink or take drugs when driving over New Year.