Alcohol Help

Black cabs half-painted as police cars and ambulances have hit the streets in the North West as part of the latest Know Your Limits safer drinking publicity campaign.

Seen from the front, the forty vehicles resemble a traditional black cab, or hackney carriage. From the rear a clever paint job transforms them into either police cars or ambulances. The two halves are linked by a simple line of text: ‘Don’t let a good night turn into a bad one’.

The message is plain: unless you are careful about how much you drink, a night that starts in a taxi might end up in a police car or ambulance.

The taxis will be on Liverpool and Manchester streets for eight weeks and have also be rolled out in Birmingham and London. They form part of a wider advertising effort that also includes a fleet of 1,000 buses emblazoned with a bus route-style map. Using the same ‘Don’t let a good night…’ strap line, the journey depicted on the side of the buses terminates at the Accident and Emergency department.

Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said:

"The Know Your Limits campaign has been reminding young people of the dangers of excessive drinking in an imaginative, non-preaching and hard-hitting way since October 2006. Since the publication of the alcohol strategy in June this year, we have stepped up our efforts to educate people about the harm that alcohol can do not only to themselves but also to those around them. At this time of year when people will be out having a good time, these vehicles will, I hope, make people think twice about having one drink too many."

Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said:

"We are determined to reduce the harm caused by alcohol and committed to raising awareness of the health and personal risks associated with drinking above sensible limits. This campaign is one more way to make people think about the consequences of the misuse of alcohol while they are out and about."

Home Office