Why you shouldn’t be a drop over limit

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service joined forces with the 95 Alive York and North Yorkshire road safety partnership to demonstrate the effects of a head-on collision by suspending a vehicle in the air before dropping it over 30 feet onto concrete below.

The brigade’s road rescue team was then sent in to rescue a “casualty” from the badly-damaged vehicle. The event was staged as part of the 95 Alive Partnership’s summer anti-drink-drive campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the dangers of getting behind the wheel while over the limit.

Speaking on behalf of the 95 Alive partnership, Councillor John Fort, the chairman of North Yorkshire County Council, said “Drink-driving has the potential to ruin the lives of not only those who get behind the wheel whilst impaired by alcohol, but also the lives of their friends, families and their innocent victims.

“We hope that the demonstration will make people think about what the consequences of getting behind the wheel when under the influence of alcohol and send a clear message that drink-driving on the roads of North Yorkshire is unacceptable.”

Alcohol impairment is a major cause of accidents on North Yorkshire’s roads.

Last year, almost 100 accidents were recorded that involved alcohol as a cause, resulting in more than 130 casualties – 39 of which were serious.

North Yorkshire’s Chief Fire Officer, Nigel Hutchinson, said: “We need to ensure that the message is coming across to anyone who might be considering drinking and driving that there can be grave consequences as a result.”

The road safety partnership was established in 2005 to reduce fatalities on North Yorkshire’s roads.