Drivers warned to have a Plan B

Councils are reminding festive partygoers to prepare a Plan B to ensure they have a safe way to get home from work events, functions and other activities over December and January.

Mosman Council together with Ku-ring-gai and North Sydney Councils and Roads and Maritime Services is once again promoting the Plan B Drink Drive Campaign this festive season, commencing in December.

Local bottle shops and licensed venues have been invited to participate in the campaign. They will be supplied with a range of materials and resources to help promote the Plan B Drink Drive message including bottle bags, breathalysers, posters and t-shirts.

“The aim of the state-wide Plan B campaign is to highlight the need for people celebrating during the festive season to find an alternative way home that doesn’t involve driving after drinking,” said Mosman Mayor Peter Abelson.

North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson said planning ahead was the key: “North Sydney residents and workers can choose from many practical and easy options to ensure a safe trip home, including trains, buses, taxis, or travelling with friends or family”.

The campaign highlights the consequences of drinking or taking illegal drugs before driving, which puts motorists at greater risk of injuring or killing themselves and others through slower reflexes, reduced coordination and increased risk taking behaviour, and of being caught.

Ku-ring-gai Mayor Jennifer Anderson said it could take up to 18 hours for a person’s blood alcohol concentration to get back to zero. “Coffee, a big meal or cold showers will not reduce your blood alcohol content – the only thing that sobers you up is time”.

The Plan B campaign will see extra police patrols with increased mobile drug testing and every police car able to conduct random breath tests supported by an education campaign on how drugs and alcohol affect driving. Stricter penalties were implemented last year for NSW drivers convicted of serious and repeat drink driving offences.