One of the top officers in the Royal Navy has issued a stark reminder as sailors look forward to the Christmas and New Year break – “Be safe – not a statistic.”

Vice Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent told Navy News Online: “None of us would wilfully inflict death or crippling injuries on ourselves or anyone else.

“Yet if we drive a car while under the influence of alcohol, or when we are tired, we increase the risk of doing just that.”

The figures make grim reading.

Between 1998 and 2003, 43 Royal Navy personnel died in off duty road traffic accidents and more than 200 received serious injuries.

Nationally, it is thought that 20 per cent of motorway accidents are caused by drivers falling asleep, with possibly 23,000 accidents a year related to fatigue.

And in 2002, 560 people were killed in drink-drive incidents, with a further 2,800 seriously injured.

So what can be done to cut the risk?

• Firstly, avoid making long trips between midnight and 0600, when reactions are at their slowest, and never set off on a long trip if you are already feeling tired

• Stop for 15 minutes every two hours on long journeys, and making them coffee breaks could help.

• And if you feel tired or are struggling to stay awake while on the journey, stop in a safe place – not the hard shoulder – and take a nap for 15 minutes before resuming your journey.

As well as the fatigue message, the Government will once again feature the perils of drink-driving during the Christmas and New Year awareness campaign.

The legal penalties for drink driving are harsh:

• Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison, a minimum two year driving ban and a requirement to pass an extended driving test before the offender is able to drive legally again.

• Driving or attempting to drive whilst above the legal limit or unfit through drink can mean up to six months imprisonment, plus a fine of up to £5,000 and a minimum 12 months driving ban.

• An endorsement for a drink-driving offence remains on a driving licence for 11 years.

• Being in charge of a vehicle whilst over the legal limit or unfit through drink could result in three months imprisonment plus a fine of up to £2,500 and a driving ban.

• The penalty for refusing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine for analysis has a maximum six months imprisonment, a fine of up to £5,000 and a driving ban of at least 12 months.

“ All Royal Navy and civilian personnel are valuable to us,” said Vice Admiral Burnell-Nugent. “We don’t want to lose anyone through preventable road accidents.

“Of course we want people to enjoy themselves over the holiday season. All we ask is that everyone is sensible. Don’t drink and drive, and don’t drive when tired.”

And if you do take the risk of driving after drinking, thinking you won’t be caught, remember that more than half a million breath tests are carried out each year – and around 100,000 are found to be positive.

There is no failsafe guide as to how much you can drink and stay under the limit – it depends on many factors, such as the amount and type of alcoholic drink, your weight, sex, age, food intake and metabolism.