Between 25 November and 30 January last year, as part of the Federal Police’s BOB drink-driving national alcohol testing campaign, just 1.8% of drivers stopped on Belgian roads were found to be over the legal alcohol blood content level, the lowest level in the campaign’s history.
Despite an increase in the number of drivers breathalysed during this period along Belgian roads, rising to 207,748 in 2022, the campaign recorded significantly less drunk drivers than last year, when 2.65% of drivers tested positive. BOB is a mascot of the Federal Police, who encourages drivers not to get behind the wheel after drinking.
“From 2023, BOB will be present throughout the year via social networks, as well as in certain places where people buy alcohol. The aim is to deter drivers at all times from driving when they have consumed alcohol. This ongoing awareness is essential: if no one drove over the legal limit, we could save 115 lives on our roads every year,” the VIAS road safety institute notes.
In a similar campaign for the “Weekend without alcohol behind the wheel”, which ran on 13-16 January, 1.62% of drivers blew over the limit for alcohol out of nearly 48,000 drivers. 162 drivers were under the influence and had their licences revoked. 119 had their licences revoked for drug-driving.
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Drink driving is a problem in many parts of Belgium. A survey conducted by the VIAS institute in 2019 concluded that a quarter of Belgian drivers had admitted to drinking and driving the month prior, as well as to driving after using illicit substances. The results of the BOB campaign are therefore promising.
“There is a clear decrease compared to the previous winter edition. Despite this decline, the message does not yet seem to have percolated through to all drivers. We will relentlessly pursue the fight against driving under the influence in order to avoid human tragedies,” said Koen Ricour, Divisional Commissioner and Director of the Federal Highway Police.
