Campaign against drunk driving requires comprehensive measures

Drunk driving killed 10 people in Luxembourg and seriously injured 55 more in 2021. To combat these gross vehicular violations, the government is launching a new awareness campaign.

From November 14 to January 15, promotional materials will be placed on buses, road signs, buses and trams and on the Internet. The material itself is surprisingly life-affirming and positive. Many other countries are known to use realistic footage of accidents or casualties in campaigns against drunk driving. However, the creators decided that in Luxembourg this format would lead to no response.

Even then, such a campaign is not very effective by itself. It should work in tandem with punishments from law, and ideally with preventive sanctions. Another important condition is that society must accept these sanctions. Potentially there might be a revision of fines for drunk driving. Right now in Luxembourg, drivers who have up to 0.5% alcohol in their blood are not even fined.