YOUNG men who drink and drive are being targeted in a month-long police operation to curb the number of offences in Oxfordshire.

The campaign, which runs all month, aims to enforce the message that driving after taking drugs or alcohol can ruin lives.

The campaign will focus on men aged 17 to 29, who officers say are consistently over-represented in drink-driving casualty figures.

During a similar campaign in the Thames Valley last December, 2,172 drivers were breathalysed, of whom 300 - 14 per cent - failed.

In this month's operation, officers will record information about the ages of the motorists they stop.

The data will then be used by the Department for Transport to investigate the correlation between age and drinking behaviour.

Supt Mick Doyle, head of Thames Valley's traffic unit, said a night in police cells, followed by a swift appearance in court and a lengthy driving ban was the sobering reality of the offence.

He said: "If you drink and then drive home, you're not just putting your own life in danger, you're jeopardising the lives of other road users.

"We will be carrying out targeted, intelligence-led roadside tests and we also test every driver involved in a collision, regardless of the time of day and whether they have been drinking or not.

"We need the help of the public to put pressure on people who are considering driving home - when they're not fit to do so - to keep themselves and the public safe.

"Each year, about 500 people die in Great Britain as a direct result of drinking and driving.

"Ask yourself, if you killed a child because of your selfishness, could you face their mum and dad?

"And if someone died, because you didn't stop your friend or partner from driving, how would you explain your inaction to their grieving loved ones?

"It's not difficult to avoid drink-driving.

"Take a taxi, stay at a hotel or friend's house, or just don't drink."

Police have asked people who know anyone who drinks or takes drugs and drives, to call them on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.