THE DANGERS of drink driving were plain to see to the shoppers who tried out the “beer goggles” designed to mimic the effect of being intoxicated.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service want shoppers to try out the special glasses so they think twice about getting behind the wheel after too many drinks.

Shoppers at Wheatley’s Asda store on Thursday were offered the chance to put on the glasses and walk along a white line.

Little Milton Primary School teaching assistant Diane Austin told the Oxford Mail she would not drink and drive after trying them.

She said: “It is very strange and disorientating. People ought to try them on and have a go.”

Road safety officer Wendy Jennings said the goggles were first tried out in the summer to deter drink-driving in the barbecue season.

She said: “It just gives people the idea of what drink can actually do to you. You feel happy but you don’t realise what it is doing to your vision.”

Shoppers were also asked to guess how many units were in a range of drinks.

Firefighter Jon Moulder said most were aware of the dangers of drink-driving, but added: “It’s over the course of having one and moving to having two or three drinks and they don’t realise the effect it is having on them.”

Last year, two people were killed and 84 injured due to drink-driving on the county’s roads compared to eight deaths in 2000.

Twelve people were seriously hurt last year compared to 44 injuries in 2000.

The drink-driving campaign stall will be at Abingdon Waitrose on Wednesday from 11am to 2pm, Banbury’s Castle Quay Shopping Centre from 2pm to 4.30pm on Thursday and Marriott’s Walk in Witney on Saturday from 10am to midday.

Mick Clarke, county council Fire and Rescue Service’s road safety manager, added: “Alcohol has a significant effect on drivers’ ability to react quickly. The goggles and walking in a straight line scenario is a demonstration of how simple tasks can become difficult if a person is under the influence of alcohol.”