Today we launch our annual Don't Drink and Drive campaign with a message to motorists to think about the consequences of their actions.

People who mix alcohol and driving are not only gambling with death but risking a criminal record, losing their licence and possibly their job.

We have teamed-up with Caffyns, East Sussex County Council, Brighton and Hove Council and Sussex Police in a bid to cut drink driving on the county's roads this winter.

A drink-drive crackdown by Sussex Police last year resulted in 285 people who had been involved in road accidents being breathalysed. Of these 27 gave positive readings and 160 of the accidents resulted in injury.

Anthony Caffyn, whose company is a long-standing sponsor of the anti-drink drive campaign, said: "Everybody should think long and hard about how drinking and driving can ruin lives."

Keith Sinden, principal road safety officer for East Sussex County Council, said: "My message to motorists is not to risk their licence by drink-driving this Christmas."

Mr Sinden urged motorists who plan to drink to use five travel strategies:

*Book a taxi *Use public transport *Stay overnight *Drink soft drinks until you get home *Take it in turns for someone who is not drinking to drive Barbara Deekes, road safety education officer for Brighton and Hove Council, said: "It's all about thinking and planning ahead. If a group of people are going out, get one person not to drink and drive the rest.

"Often you can leave the car at home completely, especially in Brighton, and use public transport and get a taxi home.

"The key is plan ahead and think about the consequences."

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "By now anybody who hasn't got the message about drink driving has either forgotten or is willfully ignoring it.

"Sussex Police is determined to play its part in eradicating drink driving because it shouldn't be tolerated at Christmas or at any other time of the year."

Drink drivers risk six months imprisonment, a maximum fine of £5,000 and a mandatory 12 month ban. People who cause death by careless driving while under the influence can receive up to ten years behind bars and at least a two year driving ban.

An average of 3,500 people are killed or seriously injured every year in drink drive accidents with even the smallest amount of alcohol leading to impaired judgement and reaction times.