Portugal is stepping up its fight against drink driving with the launch of a road safety campaign entitled ‘Taxa Zero ao Volante’ (Zero Alcohol at the Wheel). Promoted by the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR) together with PSP and GNR police, it aims to warn drivers of the dangers of getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.
Running until Monday (August 25), the campaign combines awareness-raising events with large-scale roadside checks, targeting high-traffic roads and accident-prone areas across the country, including the Azores and Madeira. The roadside checks will take place in Guarda (August 19 at Rotunda dos 5 F’s at 4.30pm and on the A23 motorway at 8pm), in Elvas (August 21 on Avenida de Badajoz at 4pm), in Portalegre (August 22 on the EN18 road in Água de Prata at 11pm), and in Tomar (August 25 at the Alves Redol roundabout at 2pm).
In a joint statement, the entities behind the initiative cite statistics that paint a stark picture of the effects of driving under the influence of alcohol. In 2023, one in four drivers killed in road accidents had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit of 0.5 g/l. Even more alarming: three out of four of those drivers were over 1.2 g/l, a level considered a criminal offense. Autopsy data revealed that nearly a quarter (23%) of all road accident victims had alcohol in their system.
Their message is simple: even small amounts of alcohol can double the risk of serious or fatal accidents. Beyond slowed reactions, alcohol can cause “tunnel vision,” euphoria, and risky behaviour” – all of which dramatically raise the chances of tragedy. Officials also stress that accidents linked to alcohol are often among the most severe.
This is the eighth out of 11 national road safety campaigns scheduled for 2025, following European guidelines. Other campaigns this year focus on speeding, seatbelts, mobile phone use, and two-wheeled vehicles.
As the campaigners state, road deaths are not an inevitability and the most serious consequences of accidents “can be avoided by adopting safe behaviours” while driving.
