DRINKERS saw the devastating consequences of drink-driving first hand as the wreck of a car in which a woman died was displayed in Portsmouth’s Guildhall Walk.
Hampshire police put the blue Vauxhall Corsa on show last night, with the permission of the 23-year-old victim’s family, as part of their hard-hitting Don’t Get Smashed campaign.
The woman – whose family wishes to remain anonymous – was less than a mile from her Hampshire home when she was involved in a late-night smash with a van.
She died instantly in the crash in November last year.
Tests later revealed she was four times the drink-drive limit.
Representatives from the Safer Portsmouth Partnership – made up of police, firefighters, the council and other organisations – were also on-hand, urging people to ‘Take the Pledge’ by signing up not to drink and drive.
Many people looked at the mangled wreckage in shock.
Dawn Peachey, 39, from Wilmcote House, Southsea, said: ‘This is a good idea. I don’t recommend anyone drink-drives. I wouldn’t do it myself. My 15-year-old cousin was killed by a drink driver.’
Ashley Singleton, 23, from Southsea, said: ‘It’s a sad story and shows us we should not drink-drive.’
Ben Searle, 22, from Eastney, said: ‘It has exactly the message it’s supposed to have – that it could happen to anyone.’
People can take the pledge by re-tweeting the @saferportsmouth pledge board photos on Twitter or by liking and/or sharing their pledge board pictures on Facebook.
In total, 64 people were arrested on suspicion of drink-driving in the first 10 days of the police campaign.
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