Road safety officers launched a new campaign with an event aimed at making teenagers aware of the consequences of getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.

The was a special focus on the dangers of driving the morning after consuming alcohol.

Police figures show that one in six drivers arrested for drink driving is caught the morning after a night on the booze.

Youngsters were able to take breathalyser tests, discover the facts about alcoholic units and use a driving simulator at the launch, which was held at Peterborough Regional College.

Students were also invited to take a computerised hazard perception test under normal conditions before repeating the procedure while wearing goggles which simulated the effects of having consumed a large amount of alcohol.

Peterborough City Council road safety officer Clair George said: "If people go out and have a few drinks the night before, they really need to consider that they might be over the legal limit the next morning.

"The response from the campaign launch has been really good. We held a guess the limit competition to get people thinking about units. We also gave away mocktails – which are cocktails without the kick – as well getting people to use the driving stimulator."

Casualty reduction officer for Cambridgeshire police Pc Tony Barrios said: "I've demonstrated to students that one bottle of beer could put you over the drink drive limit, because of the alcohol contained in it.

"The message I am trying to get across is don't drink and drive.

"People recognise drink-driving is wrong, but think after one glass they are fine, when the reality is they are not.

"We are all built differently, so drink affects us accordingly. There are lots and lots of factors which alter the effect alcohol the body."

Many of the students were shocked by the facts presented to them, with the hard hitting drink-driving message getting across.

It takes about an hour for one unit of alcohol to be removed from the body, but there are many contributing factors, such as body size and the amount of food consumed prior to intake.

Student Gemma Lamonte (17) said: "I'm learning to drive at the moment, so today was really good to find out about the dangers of driving under the influence.

"It has helped me to seriously think about my actions when I pass and am able to drink.

"I enjoyed going on the simulator, but it was quite shocking to see the
difference the goggles made."