Road safety chiefs have joined forces with the police to urge anyone hitting the party scene this Christmas to leave their car keys at home.

West Yorkshire Casualty Reduction Partnership is anxious to keep the usual seasonal rise in road injuries down.

This time last year there were 16 people hurt in seven drink-drive-related crashed in the county, including five with serious injuries.

"From about the first week of December it's office party season, and while people in their 30s and 40s have grown up with don't drink and drive' messages, there's a new generation of younger drivers who've been less exposed to the message," said Philip Gwynne, of the Casualty Reduction Partnership.

"As a result, drink-drive convictions and casualties are rising across the country."

Mr Gwynne said young people had more spending power and easier access to alcohol than their parents did. He also said current legislation was confusing, because the limit of 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath was difficult to understand and led some people to suppose that it was fine to drink a little.

He said others believed that use of recreational drugs made them safer behind the wheel than booze.

Inspector Russell Clarke, of the force's Roads Policing Unit, said: "We will be patrolling the roads vigilantly for those driving under the influence.

"We are determined to stop the reckless driving of a few ruining Christmas for the many."