Everybody knows drinking and driving are the two worst activity to mix!

Global statistics show this is always a terrible idea and one that should never even cross our mind.

Road traffic injuries claim more than 1.2 million lives each year and have a disproportionately large impact on health and development.

Road crashes is the 9th leading cause of death worldwide. (photo from Youtube)

Road crashes are the 9th leading cause of death across all age groups globally and the leading cause among young people aged 15 to 29, costing governments approximately 3% of GDP on average (WHO, 2015).

WHO estimated that in the Western Pacific Region, approximately 323,296 people were killed on the road in 2013. These deaths account for 25% of the global total of road traffic deaths.

In the case of the Philippines, it is estimated that more than 10,300 lives were lost in 2013.

“These numbers highlight the urgency of taking action to improve road safety. UNITAR and Diageo launched a two-year partnership entitled ‘Road Safety Initiative for Cities’, with the aim of building individual and institutional capacity of stakeholders around the world to reduce traffic deaths and injuries.” – Mr. Nikhil Seth, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR 

DOTr Assistant Secretary Arnold Fabillar presents its comprehensive road safety program for 2018. (photo from Eon)

Alcohol advertising has been restricted in many mediums for the last two decades to dissuade people from drinking and driving. The funny thing is, most alcohol companies will try to go around this effort and still push their products.

Well, a well-known liquor company is doing the exact opposite!

Diageo, distributor of well known brands like Johnny Walker and Gordon’s Gin, recently tied up with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in close collaboration with the University of the Philippines and held a two-day international multi-stakeholder conference titled “Road Safety for Sustainable Cities.”

Wow!!! That is an awesome thing, don’t you think?

Over 150 local and international experts, government officials, law enforcement, educators, business and corporate leaders came together, deliberated and shared best practices on road safety legislation and regulation, road and transport infrastructure, and pedestrian behavior.

Diageo has a long history of working to reduce alcohol-related fatalities and crashes and supports numerous drink drive prevention programs around the world, ranging from support of high visibility enforcement through random breath tests in countries such as Ghana, Mexico and China, to funding safe rides and free public transportation, and supporting laws to establish maximum blood alcohol concentration levels in countries where none exist.

“All road crashes attributable to alcohol are preventable and we believe a single drunken driving fatality is too many. We are committed to tackling these though a mix of policies, programmes and partnerships.” – Mr. Sam Fischer, Diageo President for Greater China and Asia

Sam Fischer, Diageo President for Greater China and Asia, pledges to take part in safer roads and responsible decisions. (photo from Eon)

At the conference, Diageo also unveiled for the first time in Asia, ‘Decisions’, a groundbreaking film which challenges people to think twice before getting behind the wheel after drinking.

Decisions is a virtual reality based movie that allows viewers to experience an alcohol-related crash through the use of virtual reality goggles. After launching in the US, it was found that 75% of people who experienced ‘Decisions’ will prevent drink driving by planning ahead with a designated driver and 73% said they will stop other people from drinking and driving.

Check out the video clip below:

If this message is not powerful enough for you, then we need to get you something stronger.

Because when its already a liquor company sending you this message, we believe you should really go and listen!!!