FREE drink at Christmas Parties!

Drink Driver's May Have Their Cars Impounded

Over 1,000 pubs and bars in Scotland will provide drivers who choose not to drink alcohol with ‘buy one, get one free’ offers on Coca-Cola and Diet Coke until December 31.

The scheme is part of Coca-Cola’s Designated Drivers Campaign. It is great to see a company like Coca-Cola involved in a scheme that treats drivers in a responsible way.  The big alcoholic drink manufacturers tend to have advertising schemes and incentives to lower drink driving but we need more to be done

We now all  realise that drink driving is simply unacceptable and most of us take a responsible attitude to the pressures from the “one for the road” brigade. At a time where we see the Scottish Government trying to make an impact and reduce deaths  from drink driving it is good to see big commercial companies like Coca-Cola getting behind the message.

The present scheme is supported for the first time by the Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland as part of their festive drink drive campaign which encourages Scots to consider the tougher consequences they face if they drink drive this Christmas. As well as losing their licence with an automatic 12-month ban, those who do so face a criminal record, a fine of up to £5,000 and forfeiture of their car.

It was reported that Transport Minister Keith Brown said:

“Last year over 7,000 people were caught driving under the influence of drink or drugs in Scotland. Those who do choose to get behind the wheel after drinking face even tougher consequences this festive period – as well as losing their licence, being banned from driving and facing a fine and criminal record, they can also lose their car. Coca-Cola’s Designated Driver campaign encourages Scots to give their friends and family a safe lift home, and we’re supporting the scheme to say don’t risk it this Christmas.”

Drink driving cases are tough to defend. There are technical issues involved and drivers are entitled to the full force of a thorough defence however it is fair to say that most cases that we are involved in require a damage limitation approach as opposed to a full out defence and trial. Social mores have changed so much over the past 20 years that lawyers are reluctant to promote the fact that they defend such cases but we take the view that EVERYONE is entitled to the presumption of innocence and the State has to be thoroughly tested if a matter is put to trial. It is not for us to make moral judgements that in any way inhibit our ability to do the best for our clients.  This is the type of thing I am used to saying at a dinner party or social event where I am berated for the millionth time for defending people charged with rape or murder but it is interesting that at this time of year the alleged murders,rapists etc are aligned in the public’s psyche with the drink driver.