Swindon firefighters urge residents NOT to drink and drive this Christmas
Crews are telling people to avoid getting "smashed"
Last updated 9th Dec 2021
Firefighters in north Swindon are reminding residents to avoid drink driving over the Christmas period.
Crews from Stratton Fire Station have reconstructed a crash, involving a car and a motorbike, encouraging motorists to stay safe on the roads.
The display was produced at the fire station on Highworth Road:
'Still having alcohol in your system after drinking the night before'
The reconstruction focuses on motorcycles because they account for more than a quarter of all British road deaths, according to Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS).
Despite this, there has recently been a major rise in motorbike purchases.
Figures from the Motorcycle Industry Association show an 148% increase in the number of powered two wheelers bought between May 2020 and May 2021.
Over the same period, electric two wheelers saw a rise in sales of 340%.
Watch Manager Mark Evans, from Green Watch Stratton, said: “December is a very busy month for many families, but we are asking drivers to take that valuable minute to reflect on whether they are safe to drive.
"Particular risk factors can be tiredness, still having alcohol in your system after drinking the night before, and your car not being winter-ready – for example, the tyres not being properly inflated, or windscreens and windows too dirty to see through clearly".