A ROAD safety group has launched its 50th annual winter anti-drink drive campaign in a bid to prevent deaths on the road during the festive period.

The 95 Alive Road Safety Partnership launched the campaign this week in a bid to get the message across that drinking and driving is not acceptable ahead of the party season.

The first public information film asking people not to drink and drive was released 50 years ago, marking the beginning of a campaign which has continued through the years, effectively reducing the death toll.

Through a combination of road safety information campaigns and police enforcement, road deaths due to drink driving have fallen nationally from 1,640 in 1967 to 230 in 2012.

The 95 Alive Road Safety Partnership will be holding information roadshows across the county in the run up to Christmas.

Durham and Cleveland Police forces are also launching anti-drink and drug driving campaign, as part of the Association of Chief Police Officers seasonal operation.

Inspector Ed Turner, from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “As roads policing officers we see all too often, the devastation that is caused by those who get behind the wheel under the influence of drink or drugs, whether that be because someone got straight into their vehicle after a drink or because they decided to drive the morning after a heavy night.”

North Yorkshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick, chairman of 95 Alive, said: “I am pleased to see that most people do understand that it is wholly unacceptable to get behind the wheel and drive having drunk alcohol.

“However, there are still some reckless individuals who persist in carrying out this illegal and dangerous behaviour.

“They need to think carefully about the potential consequences of their actions. How would they feel if they were to kill or seriously injure another person, particularly over the festive period, when they will destroy the lives of families and have to forever live with those consequences?

“Anyone who is arrested and found to be over the drink drive limit will quickly find themselves in court and without a driving licence. This can have life changing consequences for the families of both victims and offenders.”

He added: “If you know of someone who is drink driving, I urge you to contact police or Crimestoppers immediately; that phone call could save a life.”