As the festive season begins, the opportunity for parties and meetups will only grow in the coming weeks. However, during this period, the increased consumption of alcohol creates a significant threat to Belgian road safety, according to the Walloon Agency for Road Safety (AWSR).
“Alcohol, often present during these festive moments, exposes us to the risk of an accident, unless we have organised ourselves not to get back behind the wheel,” a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
In a new campaign, the AWSR invites Walloon to take responsibility for themselves and others, not letting their guests drive if they have been drinking alcohol. The campaign’s slogan is “Don’t let your friends get behind the wheel!”
In a recent survey conducted by the AWSR of over 1,000 Walloons, most respondents were aware of the necessity of getting home from festivities safely, be it with a designated driver (56%), drinking no more than one or two drinks (48%), sleeping overnight at the venue (32%), or returning by public transport or taxi (16%).
“We often have the impression that receiving our guests well means offering them alcohol drinks… losing sight of the fact that some guests will have to drive to get home and that drinking alcohol could put them in danger,” the AWSR stated.
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A campaign by Brussels Mobility has urged young people not to allow their friends to drive while intoxicated, whether by vehicle, bicycle, or scooter. According to the survey, 29% of Walloons believe that it is not the responsibility of the host to ensure that no one returns to the road having drunk too much.
“Only 26% of Walloons plan festive non-alcoholic drinks such as 0% beers or mocktails and nearly one in two Walloons (44%) do not offer their guests to stay overnight to enjoy the evening in safety,” the AWSR said.
The survey also found that 62% of Walloons do not dare to dissuade a loved one who has drunk too much from getting behind the wheel.
Nevertheless, the AWSR says that party organisers should play a role in dissuading anyone from attempting to leave a party in their vehicle while drunk.
