CHRISTMAS PARTY DRINKING

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29388, 15 December 1960, Page 24

CHRISTMAS PARTY DRINKING

Safety Council’s Fears "It is with a great deal of trepidation that the Road Safety Council looks ahead to the forthcoming festive season,” says a circular issued by the New South Wales Road Safety Council. The circular was sent to. “The Press” by a correspondent, Mr L. Cooper, after he had read an editorial on drinking at Christmas parties in “The Press” on December 7. “Celebrations generally seem to get under way (and the pattern started) with office Christmas parties; and it is at these that we find an increasing intrusion of alcoholic liquor and in fact the introduction of many teenagers to its consumption—even perhaps against their better judgment and normal'preference for soft drinks,” says the circular. “Unfortunately there will be road accidents and persons killed and injured before the New Year dawns but this council hopes that none of your executives or employees will be among those on the casualty list or cause, through any act of theirs, harm to another. “In cold, hard facts statistics tell us that in December, 1959, there were 4799 road accidents, 79 persons killed and 2092 injured; and that during the 12-day Christmas-New Year holiday period there were 1955 accidents, 43 persons killed and 1029 injured.”