PALMA
A total of 102 driving schools, 161 service stations and 20 cinemas on the Balearics are taking part in the seventh edition of the campaign Don't drink and Drive.
This is a preventative and education campaign promoted by Breweries of Spain in collaboration with the Traffic Department (DGT).
The objective is to educate the public, and young people in particular, that the consumption of alcohol and driving do not mix.
According to sources from the organising parties the campaign, which also has the collaboration of another eight associations related with road safety, forms part of the European Convention for Road Safety with the aim of reducing by half the number of victims of traffic accidents in the European Union by 2010.
To this end posters, cards, key rings and other promotional materials will be distributed through driving schools and Balearic service stations reminding them of the principal message of the campaign, Alcohol and driving do not mix. If you are going to drive, drink non alcoholic beer.
Some 21 percent of drivers confirm that they drink non alcoholic beer more than they did five years ago. This has contributed to making Spain the biggest consumer of non alcoholic beer in the world.
At national level, the messages will be distributed through 5'500 driving schools and 6'500 service stations throughout the Summer.
In addition to this, this initiative will be reinforced with a publicity campaign which will start in July and run until the end of August. This will consist of adverts in the main publications of the country, on more than 1'300 advertising hoardings at the entrance and exit of 45 Spanish towns, and in cinemas throughout Spain.
Brewers of Spain thinks that preventative and education programmes are the best ways of putting across messages about responsible driving to everyone who drives, as it has been proved that prohibition measures normally generate the opposite response to the one desired.
We are very pleased to be able to do our bit to contribute, in whatever way possible, to the reduction of traffic accidents caused by the unnecessary consumption of alcohol, confirmed Jacobo Olalla Marañon, director general of Brewers of Spain. The campaign is characterised by the use of positive and educational language to get the campaign message across.