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THE Transport Accident Commission is ramping up its presence at Saturday’s Dunkeld Cup to deter punters from drinking and driving.
In a first for Dunkeld, the popular race day will host a TAC Retreat zone aimed at pampering racegoers and helping them plan a safe way home.
TAC road safety manager Samantha Buckis said the Retreat marquee came on the back of the organisation’s new campaign – “Drinking and driving, they’re better apart”.
“The Retreat is a fantastic way for people enjoying the races to have some time out, get refreshed, take their shoes off and win some great prizes,” Ms Buckis said.
“We want everyone at the races to have a great time, but more importantly we want people to make good choices and get home safely to their loved ones.”
Free breath tests, water and snacks will also be offered to people throughout the day at exit points and within The Retreat zone.
Research shows drivers with a blood-alcohol level of .08 are five times more likely to have a crash than before they started drinking. At 0.12, their crash risk has increased tenfold.
Ms Buckis said while it is legal to drive with a blood-alcohol level under .05, it can be hard for people to know where that limit is.
“We know that any level of alcohol in a person’s system impairs their judgment and their ability to drive safely, which is why we are asking everyone to completely separate their drinking from driving,” she said.