Stop kidding yourself

A new TAC road safety campaign is tackling some common drink driving myths this holiday season, with this year being a horrific one for the road toll.

The TAC and Victoria Police’s ‘Stop Kidding Yourself. If you drink, don’t drive’ aims to highlight the dangers of low-level drinking, with 272 lives lost on Victoria’s roads this year at the time of writing.

The latest TAC Road Safety Monitor report reveals a concerning 48 per cent of Victorians would still consider driving after two or more alcoholic drinks. Meanwhile, alcohol remains the most represented drug in fatally injured drivers, with close to one in five drivers and riders killed being over the legal BAC limit.

The ad campaign combats key myths on the speed at which people drink, how many standard drinks are appropriate per hour, if people have had enough water, how much people have eaten and even body size, and emphasises one of the mandatory penalties for all drink drivers caught in Victoria – having an interlock device installed.
TAC CEO Tracey Slatter said it was time to bust the myth that having a couple of drinks and getting in a car or on a motorcycle is okay.

“As we head into summer and the festive season, this campaign is a timely reminder to Victorians that drinking and driving don’t mix. We want to embrace a culture where driving after drinking any alcohol is not considered normal,” Ms Slatter said.

“Many people think they can manage their blood-alcohol level by following a set of vague rules handed down through generations, but the only way to avoid the risk entirely is to completely separate drinking and driving.”

The campaign, which Victorians will see and hear across TV, online, radio, music streaming platforms, cinemas, regional press, social media, outdoor advertising, and billboards, will be running until 31 January 2024.

The State Government is delivering this campaign to address one of the key focus areas of the Victorian Road Safety Action Plan 2021 – 2023, to support and enforce safer driver behaviour.

“Even in small amounts, alcohol affects perception, vision, concentration, reaction time and causes drowsiness – all of which increases your risk of making a tragic mistake on the roads. It’s not worth the risk – if you drink, don’t drive.” Victorian Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Melissa Horne, said.