The first government-backed THINK! drug driving campaign in a decade has been launched ahead of the Christmas period. The campaign specifically targets young men, as Department for Transport (DfT) figures show that around 90 per cent of drivers impaired by drugs are male and four in ten are aged between 17 and 30.
The aim of the campaign is to ‘remind people that one poor decision can have devastating consequences’, the government says. The online adverts – which have the tagline ‘Don’t put drugs in the driving seat’ – will use police data to target drug-driving hotspots in England and Wales. There was a 70 per cent increase in the number of driver fatalities where drugs were present in the decade to 2023, says DfT.
‘Overconfidence and a tendency to underestimate the risks are widespread, with 32 per cent of young men believing it is OK to drive after taking drugs if they “feel fine”, while 46 per cent report knowing someone who drives after using drugs,’ the campaign says.
‘Drug driving is incredibly dangerous and puts the lives of your passengers, other road users and yourself at risk,’ said chief superintendent Marc Clothier of the National Police Chiefs’ Council. ‘We’re pleased to be partnering with this new THINK! campaign, which is really impactful and coordinates with our enhanced enforcement of drink and drug driving offences over the December period through Operation Limit. Every year, we convict nearly 27,000 drivers for drug driving, which emphasises the message it will not be tolerated.’
Meanwhile, OnPoint NYC which runs two officially sanctioned overdose prevention centres in New York has released its Year two impact report, which focuses on 2022-23. Almost 700 fatal overdoses were prevented, it says, with more than 80 per cent of clients receiving wraparound services. ‘Substance use should be done in safe and appropriate settings,’ the document states. ‘It is not safe or dignified for our friends, families, and neighbours to use in public or have to witness use in public.’
Full details of the THINK! campaign available here
Impact report: Lessons learned operating the first government sanctioned overdose prevention centers in the United States from 2022-2023 available here