A month-long Christmas campaign to target drink-drivers has been launched by Thames Valley Police.

The ‘Where will you end up tonight?’ campaign, which carries the hard-hitting theme of a mortuary to emphasise the potentially fatal consequences of drink-driving, is aimed at reducing the number of people killed and injured on our roads by people who drink and drive.

The overall aim of the campaign, features digital graphics and video, is to convince drivers that drink-driving has the potential to ruin not just their life, but the lives of others too. The campaign ends on January 1.

Road Safety Sgt Chris Appleby said: “This is one of our main campaigns of the year and, while it is nothing new for an anti-drink-drive campaign to be hard-hitting, this time around we have decided to bring home the harsh realities of the potential fatal consequences of drink-driving by having a morgue as the main focus of the campaign.

“Last year over 2,600 positive breath tests in TVP – that’s over 2,600 vehicle journeys that were stopped by police officers, any of which could have ended up with a crash which killed someone, or injured them.

"We shouldn’t have to do something different with our campaigns in a bid to try to ram home the message that you shouldn’t drink and drive, but the reality is that we do.

“The campaign asks ‘Where will you end up tonight?’ implying that you could end up in a mortuary having died in a road crash caused by drink-driving.

"You do not have to be the actual drink-driver to be killed in a drink-driving road crash, so don’t be tempted to try to catch a lift from someone who will be over the limit as you are putting yourself in danger too.

“Every year, police officers have to walk up to front doors, ask to come inside, sit people down and deliver the devastating news that their loved one has been killed in a drink-drive road crash.

"It’s terrible but it’s something that happens year in, year out despite it being completely avoidable.

“If you drink-drive and end up killing someone, if not yourself too, consider the impact your irresponsible actions are having on the victim’s family – their parents, sister, brother, husband, wife, children. And even if they survive, hundreds of people every year have serious injuries – many of which are life-changing – think of the impact you are having on them.

“Our message therefore is simple: don’t drink and drive - #ItsNotWorthTheRisk."

The Joint Roads Policing Unit (RPU) will conduct random drink/speed and seatbelt checks at all times of the day and night across Thames Valley.

Drivers will be asked to provide a specimen of breath in accordance with the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Where there is no suspicion of alcohol, no moving traffic offences or involvement in a road collision, drivers will be offered the opportunity to participate in the campaign and provide a sample on a voluntary basis.

In the Thames Valley Police force area, throughout 2014/15, a total of 33,299 drivers were breathalysed, with 2,641 of those providing positive tests.

Last year 10 people were killed on the roads Thames Valley and Hampshire as a result of drink or drug-driving.

A further 108 people were seriously injured, and a further 266 sustained slight injuries.

Throughout last year’s Christmas Drink-drive reduction campaign, 273 arrests were made relating to drink-driving (105 in Berkshire, 108 in Buckinghamshire and 60 in Oxfordshire). There were around 9,000 breath tests in total during this period.

Last year’s Christmas drink-drive reduction campaign nationally saw 133,996 drivers being tested, with a 4.39 per cent failure rate.

All drivers who either provide a positive breath test, refuse to provide or fail to provide, face losing their licence for at least 12 months.

They could go to prison for six months or pay a fine of up to £5,000.

For more information on drink and drug-driving, visit the Thames Valley Police website.