Leeton Shire Council in the Riverina
region of New South Wales has demonstrated a new approach to alcohol management
with its innovative ‘R U Over It?’ campaign.
The campaign aims to educate everyone about the dangers of residual alcohol levels, but is targeted at people aged 18–35 years.
The campaign was created after Council discovered increasing numbers of drivers were being caught for drink driving the morning after their night out.
Council’s Road Safety and Traffic Officer Sandra Robinson said that most people aren’t aware they can still be unable to drive the morning after a big night out.
“Council had been monitoring our drink driving statistics and one of the things that we found was an increase in people being over the limit the morning after, so between the hours of six and 12 in the morning,” she said.
“Many people believe urban myths that drinking water or eating certain foods can lower your blood alcohol level but these are not true and as a Council we realised the need to take action.”
The ‘R U Over It?’ campaign comprises promotional material – posters and beer coasters – distributed in licensed venues warning patrons of the dangers of being over the limit the following day. Highway Patrol officers also handed leaflets out at breath test stations.
The ‘R U Over It?’ website was created with an online calculator to give drivers an estimate of what time they would be back under the limit.
“The online calculator has proven to be very popular,” Sandra Robinson said.
“At the start of the campaign it was receiving around 300 to 400 hits per month and now as the popularity of the campaign has increased so have the hits.”
Hand stamps are also used in many licensed premises featuring the logo ‘R U over it?’ as a way of reminding patrons when they wake up the next day.
The stamps are made from a long life ink designed to remain in place until washed off the next morning. They can also assist bar staff and security to identify patrons.
“We are hoping the hand stamps will trigger a mechanism within the drinkers where they will question whether they are right to take to the wheel the morning after,” Sandra said.
Local community surveys have shown a 17 per cent increase in awareness of 17 to 35 year old drinkers on the issue of morning after drink driving since the introduction of the program.
More information on the campaign can be found at www.ruoverit.com.au or through Council’s Road Safety and Traffic Officer Sandra Robinson on
(02) 6953 0931.
