Who will be your Lift Legend? Free drinks for nominated drivers this Christmas season

Devon and Cornwall Police have launched its Lift Legend Christmas drink drive campaign to reduce drink driving. 

Over 90 licensed premises have signed up to give out free soft drinks to people who have agreed to give free lifts home to friends and family after a night out. 

The initiative will run until Sunday 1 January 2023.

On the purchase of their first free drink, nominated drivers will receive a voucher for their second drink, which will be on the house. 

During the festive period officers will be raising awareness of the dangers of drink driving and encouraging people to take responsibility for their actions. They will also be carrying out intelligence-led fixed site checks and engaging with motorists on the dangers. 

Chief Inspector Ben Asprey, of the roads policing unit, said: "It is vital we do all we can to ensure anyone on a night out is able to get home safely. Our initiative aims to encourage those heading out for the night to plan who is going to be their Lift Legend. 

"During last year's Christmas campaign in December 2021, officers in Devon and Cornwall carried out 1,076 breath tests and charged 166 people with a drink drive-related offence.

"Despite long-term reductions, drink and drug driving still accounts for 15 per cent of road deaths and almost 10,000 casualties nationally each year.  

"If police think you are unfit to drive through consumption of alcohol, even if your breath test registers lower than the prescribed limit of 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, you can still be arrested and may be charged with an offence. In short, you do not have to be drunk to be a drink driver. Don't risk it. 

"It's not just you that's at risk. You could kill or seriously injure another person. Drink driving destroys people's lives and those of their families. Avoiding this happening is as simple as planning ahead, leaving the car at home, and using a taxi, public transport or designated driver to get home."

You can find out more information here.