With the Isle of Wight Festival now behind us and a Summer full of events still ahead, a timely road safety campaign is reminding revellers that the party’s consequences can linger long after the music stops.
In a joint effort with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Safer Roads Partnership, thousands of ferry passengers travelling by car were recently met with a clear message: Don’t risk driving under the influence the morning after drinking.
The campaign, which featured eye-catching adverts and face-to-face engagement at ferry terminals in Lymington, Portsmouth, and Southampton over the Isle of Wight Festival weekend, aimed to raise awareness about how alcohol can remain in your system well into the next day – potentially putting drivers unknowingly over the legal limit.
At the heart of the initiative is the Morning After calculator, a free online tool that helps people estimate how long it takes for alcohol to leave their body. It’s not a green light to drink more, but a guide to help people make safer choices.
Even with the festival period ending, Summer has only just begun and the tool can be used at any time.
Lewis Campbell, road safety officer for the Isle of Wight Council, praised the campaign’s reach:
“A big thank you to all of our partners within the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Safer Roads Partnership for supporting this important campaign.
“This has been another successful event at the mainland ports with more than 10,000 people engaged. We are very grateful for the support received by local ferry operators.”
Article continues below this advertisement “The campaign highlights the importance of planning your journeys and your alcohol consumption if you know you must drive the following day. The Morning After calculator can help you do that.
“However, to be clear, there is no safe level of alcohol when it comes to driving.”
The consequences of drink driving are serious. Offenders can face hefty fines, driving bans, and even prison. And it’s not just about being caught behind the wheel — simply being found in a stationary vehicle while intoxicated, with the keys in the ignition, could lead to a £2,500 fine, a 3-month prison sentence, and a driving ban.
You can try the Morning After calculator at www.morning-after.org.uk.
They should put that sign back up that they used to have at Fishbourne. “Island Roads are Different” most of which, as we know but was not on the sign, are either closed/being dug up or have ludicrous diversions applied to them.
Then they could then add that our roads are ludicrously narrow, have very sharp bends and have many drivers going well under the speed limit, a trait you would be advised to emulate if you don’t want 3 points or a speed awareness course.
That should prepare mainlanders for driving here!
This is a really important message and needs to extend to driving underthe unfluence of drugs which, in some areas, house outstripped the number of offences recorded for drink driving.
Bang up all drink and drug drivers.
I would breathalyse motorists when leaving pubs.
I have seen people park along Sandown High Street
walk to Scruffy Jack’s and then go back to their vehicle.
“Crafty”, doesn’t look like they have come from a pub.
The island needs more traffic Police, islandwide permit
parking would pay for the extra police required.
You can see both Scruffy Jack’s and Sandown High St at the same time? And then be able to see them leave and go back to their car from the same position a couple of hours later?
Wow! they are some “Eagle Eyes”
We need to stop Numpty’s drink driving.
Due to being uneducated lawless Numpty’s
they think it’s ok to drink and drive.