5 May 2015: The Brewers of Europe supports UN Global Road Safety Week, running from 4th-10th May, including through a 3-year SMART drink-driving partnership with the EU-wide NGO the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) as part of the organisations’ joint commitment under the European Alcohol and Health Forum.
“Drink driving is another form of alcohol misuse, and we take our responsibility very seriously when it comes to helping address this scourge on society,” said Pierre Olivier Bergeron, Secretary General of The Brewers of Europe.
Just last week, the European Parliament approved a Resolution on the EU Alcohol Strategy which highlighted that at least 5,200 people are killed in alcohol-related road incidents in the EU each year. Bergeron added: “The improvements in drink drive statistics in the EU are impressive, with the number of deaths declining more than half from an estimated 12,500 drink drive fatalities in 2000, but every drink drive death is a tragedy. If we are to ensure safe and sensible drinking in Europe, the continuation of interactive dialogue, strong partnerships, and above all definitive, targeted and collective action is vital.”
A number of anti-drink-drive activities supported by Europe’s brewers are planned in the coming months, not least an event “SMART approaches to tackling drink driving" on 7 May at the Czech Ministry of Transport in Prague, hosted jointly by the ETSC and the Czech Transport Research Centre (CDV). This will look at the most effective measures to reduce alcohol-related road deaths and includes interventions from both the Slovak and the Czech brewers’ associations on “The role of the industry in tackling drink driving”. Other participants include representatives from both the Czech and the Slovak Transport Ministries, EU representatives, national stakeholders and decision-makers, together with road safety experts and campaigners from across Europe.
Mr Bergeron concluded: “The huge array of partnership initiatives supported by brewers demonstrates that we are at the forefront of public awareness campaigns to reduce drink driving. We are rightly proud of what has been achieved to date, but we also acknowledge that there is a long way to go in terms of further reducing the numbers of accidents and fatalities. This is why we will continue to work with like-minded organisations to further reduce drink driving.”
Just some of the upcoming initiatives supported by members of The Brewers of Europe include:
- The German brewers’ continued support to the Don't Drink and Drive (DDAD) campaign with a number of events in the coming months targeting drivers aged between 18 and 25 years.
- Irish brewers’ support to the national Drink Aware campaign in partnership with the national road safety authority, which reaches an estimated 70% of adults across Ireland.
- The Slovak brewers, in partnership with the Slovak police, planning the “Don’t Drink and Drive Day” for the third year in succession.
- In Spain, Harley Davidson bikers will be the main ambassadors for the long-running La Carretera Te Pide Sin campaign which recommends non-alcoholic beer in case people wish to enjoy a beer before driving.
- The Belgian Brewers will continue to support, with the Belgian road safety authority the BOB drink drive campaign that has now been running for over 20 years.
- The Dutch brewers continue to work with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, provinces, municipalities, and road safety and alcohol awareness organisations on the Dutch BOB designated driver campaign which has been running since 2001.
- The Czech brewers support the campaign “When I drive I drink NA beer” to increase awareness of non-alcoholic beer as a safe alternative to drink driving. This is the result of a partnership between the Association, the police, and the Ministry of Transport.
- The Polish brewers have also formed strong partnerships with the Polish National Police, Ministries, road safety institutions, and transport companies as part of a programme to reduce levels of drink driving in the country.
Contact details
Simon Spillane, Communications Senior Advisor, The Brewers of Europe
+32 (0)2 551 1810; sws@brewersofeurope.org
About The Brewers of Europe
Founded in 1958, The Brewers of Europe unites the national brewers’ associations from 29 European countries to promote the unique contribution made by beer and brewers to Europe’s culture, economy and society.