Alcohol is to blame in ‘a quarter of road deaths’

FIRST Minister Alex Salmond has condemned the reckless behaviour of drink drivers as it was revealed that alcohol could have played a part in a quarter of all fatal road accidents in one police force area.

FIRST Minister Alex Salmond has condemned the reckless behaviour of drink drivers as it was revealed that alcohol could have played a part in a quarter of all fatal road accidents in one police force area.

Grampian Police has launched a campaign to reduce the number of drivers who get behind the wheel after drinking.

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Supporting the move, Mr Salmond called on everyone to stop drivers taking to the roads if they have been drinking.

“Drink driving has devastating consequences for the victims of this reckless behaviour,” he said.

“Clearly attitudes have to change, but it is also of paramount importance that friends, family and colleagues take the opportunity to intervene and stop drivers from undertaking such behaviour.”

He spoke out at the start of Grampian Police’s Mourning After campaign, with the force revealing alcohol was a potential contributory factor in 25 per cent of all fatal collisions in 2011.

Alcohol could also have contributed to 14 per cent of all other serious collisions in the area in the same year. The force said 206 collisions occurred in Grampian in which alcohol was a factor last year.

Roads Policing Inspector Roddy MacInnes said: “To see such a high proportion of fatal collisions happen as a result of alcohol, either by a motorist or pedestrian, is shocking.”

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