The next time you're down at your favourite watering hole and spot an angel walking through the door, don't fall off your barstool. It might just be a friendly 'Guardian Angel' spreading the oft-heard, but not-so-often followed 'if you drink, don't drive' message.
In a media launch last Friday at The Pump Room in Clark Quay, television celebrities Jamie Yeo and Utt were unveiled as the faces of the 'Diageo Guardian Angel' campaign.
Diageo is the owner of popular alcohol brands like Smirnoff, Guinness, Johnnie Walker, and Baileys.
Dressed in glistening white and donning large feathery wings, these amiable ambassadors of 'anti-drink driving' will be armed with temporary tattoos, T-shirts and other merchandise to fight the drink driving menace that threatens to rear its head once again during the coming festive season.
Lin Menuhin, Diageo Asia Pacific's Alcohol and Responsibility Director, said, "Alcohol
is there to be enjoyed - but responsibly.
"Over 350 people were either killed or injured on our roads last year because of drink driving - that's 350 too many."
Diageo invests 1 per cent of its profits in 'Responsible Drinking' programmes around the world, on top of its other endeavours in corporate social responsibilty.
Left: How could you not listen to the pretty angels? Right: Temp tattoo as a reminder
OVER THE LIMIT
A person can be convicted of drink driving in two instances under the Road Traffic Act.
1) If the driver is found with more than 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 ml of breath, or more than 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, he has broken the law, whether or not he has perfect control of the vehicle when caught.
2) If his alcohol level is under the legal limit, the driver can still be convicted if it is shown that he did not have proper control of the vehicle as a result of alcoholic intoxication.
DRINK DRIVING: THE CONSEQUENCES
First time drink-drivers will face fines between $1,000 and $5,000, or six months jail.
Second time drink-drivers face fines between $3,000 and $10,000 or up to a year in jail.
Repeat offenders face a maximum of $30,000 fine and three years' imprisonment.
Offenders causing death or serious injuries can be caned up to six strokes.
All those convicted will be disqualified from driving for at least a year, even if they have not caused any traffic accidents.
WHERE THE ANGELS WILL THREAD
The Guardian Angel squad will be visiting nightspots every Friday from 11pm - 2am at nightspots in Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, Emerald Hill, Holland Village, Mohammad Sultan, Tanglin Village, and St James Power Station, all the way till 4th January 2008.
