Sober driver campaign focuses on Great Mates

Socialising and celebrating during the Christmas holiday season in Papakura and Franklin District will be measurably safer this summer thanks to a road safety initiative in both districts.

Underlining a hard-hitting billboard campaign in Papakura, the drink-driving awareness initiative aims to support sober drivers and works with selected bars and drinking establishments. It will run through the Christmas period and until the end of January 2009.

The stark black and white billboards in Papakura carry a key message: “Don’t Drink and Drive” and also the main initiative’s message: “Great Mates Drive Sober”.

Papakura District Council Road Safety co-ordinator Donna Dick says this year the district’s Christmas road safety initiative becomes interactive with support from the Thoroughbred Tavern in Takanini, Stampede bar in Papakura’s town centre, and Murphy’s Law and Two Fat Cows in Drury.

Sober drivers will be able to go into the draw for a weekly prize of a $50 fuel voucher - one per bar in each district.

“We believe sober drivers are an essential part of keeping our roads safe, so this programme is a way of supporting them and making it fun to be acting in a responsible way. All they have to do is identify themselves and the people they are responsible for to bar staff when they arrive at the bar and have their hands stamped, then when they are leaving they can fill out a card and be in the draw for the fuel voucher.”

To sweeten the offer, bar staff will be handing out promotional chocolates bearing road safety awareness messages to sober drivers who register for the Great Mates initiative.

In addition, the Thoroughbred, Stampede and Two Fat Cows will also provide registered sober drivers with free non-alcoholic drinks during their time in the bar.

Donna Dick says she is very pleased to have the support of the district’s bars.

“It’s great to have the bars come on board, their involvement is a huge boost because it’s helping us spread the message far beyond our own resources. The Police will as always be increasing their enforcement activity during this period – this also enables us to use education to raise awareness of road safety during the key holiday season.”