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Drink-Driving is Tolerated by More Than a Third of Brits

by Rajashri on Jun 21 2009 10:05 AM

More than a third of adults have got into a car despite suspecting the driver was over the drink-drive limit, a new poll in the UK has found.

The survey by Direct Line Car Insurance showed that as many as 65 percent decided to say in the vehicle, despite their doubts.

Of the 65 percent, about half did nothing while the rest 'helped' the driver by acting as 'look-out' for police and speed cameras.

Only 12 percent of those suspecting the driver was worse for wear through drink bothered to take the keys away, while 10 percent drove themselves, as they had not been drinking.

The study found that those most likely to act as look-outs were 18-34-year-olds while those likely to get in a car and do nothing were mainly in the over-55 age group.

"There is no excuse for drink-driving and people's willingness to get in the car with a drink-driver is alarming," Sky News quoted Direct Line Car Insurance head Maggie Game as saying.

"By condoning this behaviour they are risking not only their own lives but those of other road users.

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"If you know someone who plans to drink and drive, stop them, persuade them not to drive, even take their keys off them, but before volunteering to drive their car make sure you are insured, because if you're not you will find yourself breaking the law," Game added.

Katie Shephard, a spokesperson for road safety charity Brake, said: "Direct Line's survey results show some drivers have an alarmingly irresponsible attitude to drink-driving. More than 50 people are killed or seriously injured by drink-drivers every week."

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Source-ANI
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