Teenagers who have just passed their driving tests got a useful lesson in road safety thanks to a Cheshire East Council campaign.

The authority’s Cheers Bar arrived at Knutsford High School today 13th December, where 17 and 18-year-olds were taught about the dangers of drinking and driving.

Road safety officers are visiting schools across the area to promote the campaign in the run up to Christmas.

The Cheers Bar, set up in or around a school’s sixth form centre, welcomes students with a free soft drink, inviting them to discuss drinking and driving with the road safety team.

Councillor Rod Menlove, Cabinet member with responsibility for environmental services, said: “The students are very interested to hear about what we have to tell them.

“Not only do they take into account the drink and drive law, they learn how they should not attempt to calculate how much they have consumed before intending to drive.

“Participants also wear beer goggles and made to walk in a line to see how much their vision can be impaired by alcohol.”

Last Christmas, more than 4,000 people were breath tested in Cheshire and 201 were arrested for being over the drink-drive limit.

Cheshire East aims to get the message across to newly-qualified drivers, which could make the difference in reducing the number of people committing this dangerous offence.

The Cheers Bar promotes a number of messages, such as reminding new drivers that they may still be over the legal limit the morning after they have been drinking.

More information on road safety can be found on the road safety pages. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk