Derry & Donegal cross-border Christmas drink driving campaign

Gardai and the PSNI at the launched their annual cross border Christmas Drink Driving campaign which is supported by the Donegal Road Safety Working Group as part of their ongoing road safety awareness programme and also reinforces the continued co-operation between both forces with regard to road safety on both sides of the border. pictured at the launch are Harry Rutherford, Vice Chairman Road Safety NI, Garda Inspector, Michael Harrison, John Miller, Inspector Road Policing and Brian O'Donnell, Donegal County Council Road Safety Offcier. Photo Clive Wasson

The campaign reinforces the continued co-operation between both forces with regard to road safety on both sides of the border.

The DRSWG Christmas Road Safety Campaign is encouraging all road users to ensure they have a safe way of travelling home from a night out over the Christmas and New Year holiday season. The campaign focuses on preventing drink driving over the festive period, asking: “Who will be taking you home tonight?”.

It feature taxi driver Paul O’Keeney, Sgt. Mark Traynor, Letterkenny Roads Policing Unit, Paddy Doherty HSE Ambulance Service and Ernie Gibson, Funeral Director demonstrating that anyone who does decide to drink or drug drive could be arrested, be seriously injured or even be killed.

Inspector Michael Harrison from An Garda Síochána said, “We are appealing to drivers this festive period, not to drink or take drugs when driving. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs will impair your driving and put the lives of yourself and other road users at risk.

“We will have roads policing operations running throughout the Christmas period, we are appealing to drivers who are out socialising, not to take the risk of driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs. There has been a significant increase in the number of drivers that have been arrested for driving under the influence this year. Please do not put your own life in danger or the life of others by driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”

Brian O’Donnell, Road Safety Officer added: “Please have a great festive season but don’t drive under the influence – we don’t want you to end up as a casualty or even killed.”