The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
COMMENT | RODRIGO DE CASAS | A recent report by Vital Strategies urges governments to end all collaboration with the alcohol industry in drink-driving prevention (See story below). While we fully support accountability and scrutiny in public health, recommendations based on ideology – rather than evidence – risk undermining life-saving work.
Preventing drink-driving is an urgent priority. But doing so effectively requires every sector to be part of the solution.
That is why the United Nations and the World Health Organization endorse a whole-of-society approach to road safety, which brings together governments, civil society, academia – and yes, the private sector.
Evidence of What Works
We must focus on what works, and the data is clear.
In Brazil, the São Paulo Traffic Safety Movement and the Safe Life Program of Brasília –public-private partnerships involving government, NGOs, academia, and industry – helped reduce road fatalities in Brasilia by 35% and prevent 7,600 deaths in Sao Paulo in a single year. These efforts were recognized at the WHO Global Conference on Noncommunicable Diseases.
In Cambodia, the Stay Safe, Drink Wise campaign, delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and supported by APIWSA, reached 73% of the target population. It improved awareness, engaged communities, and aligned with the country’s National Road Safety Action Plan.
In the UK, the Department for Transport’s latest THINK! campaign, developed in collaboration with Heineken, reached millions with messages promoting designated drivers during high-risk holiday periods.
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Encouragingly, progress is also being made in countries that consistently invest in evidence-based interventions. In the European Union, the number of alcohol-related road deaths decreased by 37% between 2010 and 2020, according to the European Transport Safety Council⁶. While challenges remain, these gains reflect the effectiveness of coordinated public policies – especially where education, enforcement and stakeholder collaboration are aligned toward a common goal.
These campaigns were unbranded, evidence-based, government-endorsed, and demonstrably effective. It is outcomes – not funding – that should be the benchmark for evaluating drink-driving prevention efforts.
Mischaracterizing Strategies
The Vital Strategies report criticizes campaigns for showing alcohol (even implicitly) or for promoting alternatives like designated drivers and public transport.
These are not signs of flawed strategy—they are widely recognized and effective elements of behavior change communication. Authorities like the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rely on these very same measures.
Why Partnerships Matter
The report recommends governments cut ties with the industry entirely. Yet such partnerships often provide vital resources, especially in countries with limited public health budgets. Refusing to collaborate would reduce capacity, delay prevention efforts, and ultimately cost lives.
Successful, transparent initiatives like MADD and Diageo’s partnership in North America, or the long-standing BOB campaign in the Netherlands, show that public-private collaboration can drive impact without compromising independence.
Banning these partnerships not only ignores the evidence, it endangers progress.
Conclusion: Let’s Focus on Outcomes
Public health must be governed by data, not dogma. We welcome scrutiny and continuous improvement. But we reject any approach that seeks to disqualify partners based on ideology alone.
The global challenge of drink-driving demands a united response. The whole-of-society approach is not only the right way forward, but also the only one with a proven record of success.
At IARD we remain committed to collaboration grounded in evidence, transparency, and measurable impact, because saving lives should never be a partisan issue.
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The writer Rodrigo de Casas is Communications Director International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD)
rdecasas@iard.org
