Norfolk residents are being encouraged to send a seasonal e-card with a difference this Christmas - one that could save the lives of their loved ones on the county's roads this festive period.

The Think! Norfolk Partnership, comprising Norfolk County Council, Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service, Norfolk Constabulary, Norfolk Safety Camera Partnership, East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust and the Highways Agency, is taking a digital approach to this year's campaign - using facebook and twitter to rally as many people as possible to head to the Think! Norfolk website to send a personalised anti-drink-drive message to their friends and family this Christmas.  

By visiting THINK Norfolk - festivedrink, in a matter of seconds, members of the public are able to upload a photo of the intended recipient, with some basic details about their occupation and their interests, before inputting their email address - and sending a personalised anti drink drive email straight to their inbox.  Alternatively the sender could choose to use their picture as part of the message.

The Partnership is hoping this approach will lead to a decrease in drink driving this festive period - a factor which lead to the deaths of nine people on Norfolk's roads over the last two Christmas periods, with a further 66 seriously injured.

Guy McCurley, Chairman of the Think! Norfolk Partnership, said:

"It is always challenging to think of fresh ways to bring home our anti drink drive message. We all lead busy lives, and are all the target of different messaging throughout the course of the day

"But, we believe that the ability to personalise a message - so that it arrives via email with a photo of the recipient smiling back, with some detail about that person applied to the drink drive theme - will make people sit up and take notice - whether they are viewing it in the office, their home, on their laptop, or out and about on their mobile phone or blackberry.

"By sending a personal drink drive e-card to friends and loved ones, we can all do something about making Norfolk's road safer this Christmas.  It's about having a good time, but watching out for the people we really care about, and your message really could save a life."

Any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive. There is no foolproof way of drinking and staying under the limit, or of knowing how much an individual person can drink and still drive safely.  The safest option is to not drink alcohol if you plan to drive.

If you drive at twice the legal alcohol limit you are at least 30 times more likely to cause a road crash, than a driver who hasn't been drinking.

Norfolk Constabulary will again be enforcing the law this festive season for anyone caught drinking and driving.

Whilst risking the lives of themselves and any other road user, Norfolk Constabulary is warning anyone who is thinking of driving whilst over the limit to consider that:

• You will have a criminal record
• You could go to prison for up to 10 years
• You can be banned from driving
• You could be fined heavily
• You could lose your job and your home
• And your insurance costs will increase.
  

Members of the public will be able to report anybody they suspect of drink driving on Norfolk Constabulary’s freephone hotline - 0800 835 835.

People can also contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 – with all calls free and confidential.